Somewhere Over The Rainbow
by SagittariusWarrior
Summary: When Rose gets hit by a branch during a storm, she is sent back to Kansas and thinks that she's Dorothy. While she's in Oz, her friends have to deal with Dimitri and Tasha's return to the Academy. I don't own anything!
1. The Storm

I ran to Lissa's dorm room as fast as I could. The rain had started to pour right as I left the gym and it looked like it wasn't going to let up any time soon. The wind was picking up and I started to try to run faster. It was almost impossible but it was working.

I was passing students and guardians left and right who were heading for cover. Most people didn't even notice me. I was grateful for that because I had to reach Lissa. I needed to talk to my best friend and I wasn't going to let rain, wind, or people get in my way.

Lighting lit up the sky and thunder crashed above my head. I wasn't expecting the thunder so I jumped ten feet into the air. I heard a snicker to my left and caught sight of Adrian standing under the mess hall awning. I marched over to him with a look on my face that screamed to run away.

"What are you doing here, Ivashkov?" I growled.

"Watching you get wet in this storm. My, if only you were wearing a white t-shirt," Adrian answered looking at my black, curve-fitting t-shirt. I held back the urge to smack him upside the head.

"You do realize that this is a freaking storm right?" I asked.

"Do you realize that half of Montana is under a tornado warning?" Adrian shot back. He looked up at the sky, "If I were you, I'd run for cover. I am myself. Maybe we could go to Lissa's room and wait out the storm," he suggested. I looked him over for any sign of a suggestive insinuation but came up dry.

"Fine. Let's go," I huffed. I turned around to see Lissa running at us. I was suddenly mad at her for putting herself in danger by being out here in the storm.

"Rose! Get your ass inside now!" she yelled at me over another clap of thunder.

"We were heading to your room anyway," I hollered back.

Lissa reached us and huddled under the awning. Her platinum hair was tied in a ponytail and was dripping water. Her pink three-quarter length shirt was wet but not sopping wet. Mud covered her tennis shoes and the bottom hem if her jeans. At least she looked better than I did. My long, dark hair hung down my back, off my shoulders, and a little in my face. My shirt and jeans were completely soaked and my tennis shoes were history. Adrian looked perfectly dry.

"Let's not just stand here! Let's get a move on!" Adrian spoke up as the wind blew harder than before.

Lissa turned and ran towards her dorm. Adrian and I were behind her. While we ran, the wind started picking up rocks, papers, and anything that could fly and flung it around campus. Tree limbs, shingles, and trashcans sailed through the air. I had to dodge a trashcan that flew into my path and shouted to Lissa about a twig that was about to hit her back more than once.

We were almost to the dorm when lighting lit up right in front of Lissa. The lighting hit the tree off to her left and a huge limb was falling towards her. I panicked and ran towards her.

"Lissa!" I screamed just as I collided with her body. I pushed her face-first into the ground and cleared her out of the way of the falling branch. Only, I didn't clear myself. As I pushed Lissa out of the way, my foot slipped in a mud puddle and sent me crashing to the ground. I landed on my hands and knees and right under the branch.

"Rose, look out!" Lissa screamed.

"Rose!" Adrian yelled.

I looked up at them just as the branch smashed into my forehead knocking me out cold instantly.

**So... whatcha think? Like, love, or hate it? Review pretty please with sugar on top!**


	2. Kansas

_**Dorothy's POV Kansas**_

I ran down the dirt road that went through our little town to put as much distance between me and Toto and Miss. Gulch. Toto got in her garden again but he didn't mean it. She's just a mean old woman!

After almost reaching the beginning Aunt Em and Uncle Henry's gate that bordered the farm, I stopped and looked at Toto. "She isn't coming yet, Toto. Did she hurt you?" I searched his thick, black fur, "She tried to, didn't she? Come one, we'll go tell Uncle Henry and Auntie Em. Come on, Toto," I said putting him back on the ground.

We raced home and went to the back of the house where my family should be working. I was right because I found them near the chicken coop counting the baby chicks.

"Aunt Em! Aunt Em!" I called almost out of breath. My aunt didn't even look up at me so I tried again, "Aunt Em".

"Fifty-seven, Fifty-eight-," she counted.

I was getting a little impatient, "Just listen to what Miss Gulch did to Toto! She-," I tried to spit out but Aunt Em cut me off. She was not in the mood today.

"Dorothy, Please! We're trying to count! Fifty-eight," she continued.

"Oh, but Aunt Em, she hit him over the-," I tried again but Uncle Henry cut me off this time.

"Don't bother us now, honey. This old incubator's gone bad, and we're likely to lose a lot of our chicks," he waived me off.

"Oh, oh, the poor little things," I felt pure sympathy for them, really I did, but Toto was a little bit more important. "Oh, but Aunt Em, Miss. Gulch hit Toto right over the back with a rake just because she says he gets in her garden and chases her nasty old cat every day," I was truly getting upset now.

"Seventy," Aunty Em counted, "Dorothy, please!" she all but screeched.

"Oh, but he doesn't do it every day! Just once or twice a week. And he can't catch her old cat, anyway. And now she says she's gonna get the sheriff, and-," I said raising my voice a little.

"Dorothy! Dorothy! We're busy!" Aunt Em waved me off.

"Oh- all right," I finally gave up trying to talk to her now. I went off to find someone else to talk to and I did. Hunk, Hickory, and Zeke were working on the old wagon that broke last week. I walked up to them just as Hunk got his hand smashed by the wagon that Hickory and Zeke dropped.

"Right on my finger!" Hunk hollard.

"It's a lucky thing it wasn't your head," Zeke smirked.

"Zeke," I called when he was leaving the wagon to Hunk, "what am I going to do about Miss Gulch? Just because Toto chases her old cat-," Zeke turned and started to walk away. Another person to cut me off.

"Listen, Honey, I got them hogs to get in," he said.

"Now lookit, Dorothy, you ain't using your head about Miss. Gulch. Think you didn't have any brains at all," Hunk scoffed at me.

"I have so got brains," I shot back.

"Well, why don't you use them? When you come home, don't go by Miss Gulch's place. Then Toto won't get in her garden, and you won't get in no trouble. See?" he reasoned.

"Oh, Hunk, you just won't listen, that's all," I huffed.

"Well, your head ain't made of straw, you know," he stated and went back to the wagon.

I walked away and met up with Zeke at the pig pen. "Say! Get In there before I make a dime bank out of you!" he yelled at the pigs. He looked over at me out of the corner of his eyes, "Listen, Kid, are you going to let that old Gulch heifer try and buffalo you?" Zeke asked.

I hoisted myself onto the railing in between two pens, "I'm not afraid of her," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Then the next time she squawks, walk right up to her and spit in her eye. That's what I'd do!" he said proudly. I smiled at him but the smile turned into a scream as I lost my balance and fell into the pen. "Oh! Oh! Oh, Zeke! Help! Help me, Zeke! Get me out of here! Help!" I cried as I felt strong, muscled arms left me out and carry me away from the pens.

"Are you all right, Dorothy?" Hickory asked. He looked out of breath and worried. He must have run over from the windmill when I fell.

"Yes, I'm all right. Oh- I fell in and- Zeke," I panted. I looked over to Zeke and saw that he was trying to calm down. I started to laugh. "Why, Zeke, you're just as scared as I am!" I laughed.

"What's the matter, gonna let a little old pig make a coward out of you?" Hunk howled laughing.

"Look at you, Zeke," Hickory pointed and laughed," you're just as white-," he was cut off by my aunt who came storming over to us with a plate.

"Here, here, what's all this jabber-wapping when there's work to be done? I know three shiftless farm hands that'll be out of a job before they know it!" she snapped.

"Well, Dorothy was walking along the-," Hickory tried to explain.

"I saw you tinkering with that contraption, Hickory. Now, you and Hunk get back to that wagon!" Aunt Em ordered.

Hickory looked her straight in the face," All right, Mrs. Gale. But some day they're going to erect a statue to me in this town, and-," he posed while talking until Aunt Em cut him off. She had a habit of doing that.

"Well, don't start posing for it now. Here, here- Can't work on an empty stomach. Have some crullers," she shoved the plate towards the boys.

"Gosh, Mrs. Gale," Hunk smiled, grabbing a handful.

"Just fried," Aunt Em informed them.

"Thanks!" Hickory said grabbing two crullers and walking away.

"Swell," Hunk followed.

"You see, Dorothy toppled in with the big Duroc…" Zeke tried to explain while grabbing a cruller off of the plate. Aunt Em looked sternly at him.

"It's no place for Dorothy about a pig sty! Now you go feed those hogs before they worry themselves into anemia!" she ordered while turning to go back to the house.

"Auntie Em, really- you know what Miss. Gulch said she was gonna do to Toto? She said she was gonna-,"

"Now, Dorothy, Dear, stop imagining things. You always get yourself into a fret over nothing," Aunt Em scolded.

"No-," I tried to defend myself but it didn't work.

"Now, you just help us out today, and find yourself a place where you won't get into any trouble," Aunt Em advised as she scurried off to the house.

I sat there for a second and looked down at Toto, "Some place where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto?" he looked up at me with loving, brown eyes. "There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. It's far, far away- behind the moon- beyond the rain," I looked up at the sky and started to sing. It was a habit of mine to sing when I was thinking or missing something.

Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow

Skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

A way above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow

Blue birds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow

Why then oh why can't I?

If happy little blue birds fly beyond the rainbow

Why oh why can't I?


	3. Lissa and the unexpected

_**Back at St. Vladamir's**_

Lissa's POV

"Lissa!" Adrian screamed. He shoved the branch off of Rose's head and rolled her over onto her back. I ran forward and started to heal her. I knew that she would hate me for it because of the darkness so I did as little as I could. I stopped when her breathing was deep like it did when she was asleep.

"Adrian? Lissa?" We both looked up from Rose to see Christian running up to us. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you not see that a freaking tornado is com-," he stopped as soon as he saw Rose's motionless body. "What happened?" he demanded, kneeling down beside me.

"We were heading back to Lissa's room when a branch came down. Rose pushed Lissa out of the way and got hit instead," Adrian explained. Sobs erupted out of my chest as I replayed the event in my mind. It was my fault that my friend was in a coma-like state.

"We gotta move her. Come on," Christian picked her up bridal-style and we ran to the clinic. Dr. Olenski was working at the front desk when we came bursting in.

"Good God! Of course it's Rose," she huffed. She turned towards a nurse who was walking past us. "Jenna, get me a gurney pronto!" the doctor ordered. Jenna ran back the way she came just to come racing back in with a gurney and Christian laid Rose on it. He and I followed the nurse and doctor into a room that I recognized as the one that Rose always occupied when she came in here. I laughed a little inside thinking that no matter if it is a Strigoi attack, a bad run in with a punching bag, or even a tree branch hitting her head, Rose was in this clinic more often than not. That little thought made my crying stop and allowed me to calm down enough that I was ok for now.

Christian and I waited by the door to Rose's room while Dr. Olenski checked her vitals and hooked her up to the heart rate machine and an IV. Christian and I exchanged a worried look when the heart monitor started to pick up. It was like Rose was running a marathon in her sleep.

"Princess," Dr. Olenski addressed me, "Rose will be here until she wakes up. She's in a coma at the moment, but I don't know when she might wake up. Do you have any questions?" she asked. Just as she did though, Rose started to mumble.

"Aunt Em. Aunt Em!" she called out. Her face looked worried about something. Only I wasn't concerned about that as much as I was concerned about who Aunt Em was. I didn't recall Rose having an Aunt Em.

"I have one," Christian spoke up, "what the hell was that?" he asked bluntly.

"She's in a coma. It happens sometimes. She could be remembering old memories, thinking about things that has happened recently-,"

"Or remembering a movie," I interrupted as the pieces came together. Both of them looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Would you elaborate please, Princess?" Olenski asked.

"Aunt Em. It's a character in the _Wizard of Oz_. It's one of Rose's favorite movies. She must be dreaming that she is Dorothy and that she's in Kansas on a farm," I explained.

"I guess that could also be a factor in why she's talking," Olenski laughed. I figured that this was the first case that a person acted like a movie character.

"Lissa, we better get going. Aunt Tasha's coming in today remember? I guess it's a good thing that Rosie's out cold or she might kill Belikov since he's coming too," Christian joked as he pulled me back towards the waiting room where Adrian was waiting.

Christian had a point. Guardian Belikov had loved Rose and Rose returned that love from what I observed when I was around the two of them. When he left, it left her heartbroken. She was just now getting back on her feet and joking and hanging around us again. Eddie told us that she said that if Dimitri ever came back for her, she'd "kick his sorry Russian ass back to Russia where he could stay for all she cared".  
>(Eddie's words, not mine)<p>

Adrian, Christian, and I almost made it to the second set of automatic doors that lead outside when Kirova almost mowed us over.

"Ozera, get you, Lord Ivashkov, and the princess back to the Moroi dorms. I don't care if you two boys go to her room with her but find cover from the storm. It's turning into a pretty nasty one," she instructed. She then turned her attention to me, "When Lady Ozera comes in, I'll send her to your room, Princess," she said.

We nodded and ran out into the rain. We went to my dorm because it was the closest. We went up to my third floor room and Christian opened the door to reveal something that was a little unexpected: Tasha and Dimitri.


	4. Cyclone!

_**Back In Kansas**_

I picked Toto up and carried him into the house. I saw Aunt Em in the living room sitting down on the couch. She never sits unless someone is over and I was certain that no one was home when I got here. I rounded the corner and saw Miss Gulch sitting across from her.

"That dog's a menace to the community," Miss Gulch declared. "I'm talking him to the sheriff and make sure he's destroyed," Upon hearing this, I became furious. How could she hurt Toto when he was innocent?

"Destroyed?" I asked in disbelief. "Toto? Oh, you can't! You mustn't! Auntie Em! Uncle Henry! You won't let her, will you?" I asked hugging my dog tighter to my chest. I envied his ability to not understand what was going on at the moment.

"Of course we won't. Will we, Em?" Uncle Henry said. He tried to sound reassuring but there was a look in his eyes that said we might loss this battle against Miss Gulch.

"Please, Aunt Em, Toto didn't mean to. He didn't know he was doing anything wrong. I'm the one that ought to be punished. I let him go in her garden. You can send me to bed without supper-," I tried to plead only to be interrupted by Miss Gulch.

"If you don't hand over that dog, I'll bring a damage suit that'll take your whole farm! There's a law protecting folks against dogs that bite!" she stated. Miss. Gulch may know a lot about the law, but this was unfair!

"How would it be if she keeps him tied up? He's really gentle-with gentle people, that is," Aunt Em proposed. I wasn't too happy about this compromise but I'll take it if it meant keeping Toto.

"Well, that's for the sheriff to decide. Here's his order allowing me to take him. Unless you want to go against the law," Miss Gulch handed a folded piece of paper to Uncle Henry who skimmed it.

"No, we can't go against the law, Dorothy. I'm afraid poor Toto will have to go," Aunt Em told me. She looked upset about Toto leaving with Miss Gulch.

"Now you're seeing reason," Miss Gulch smiled evilly.

"No-," I tried to defend my dog when Miss Gulch shoved a basket under my nose.

"Here's what I'm taking him in so he can't attack me again."

"Oh, no, no! I won't let you take him! You go away, you…. Oooh, I'll bite you myself!" I yelled at Miss Gulch and pushed the basket away.

"Dorothy!" Aunt Em scolded.

"You wicked old witch!" I screamed at Miss Gulch before looking at my aunt and uncle. "Uncle Henry, Auntie Em, don't let 'em take Toto! Don't let her take him, please!" I started to cry.

"Here! I've got an order! Let me have…," Miss Gulch waved the paper from the sheriff around in the air again.

"Stop her!" I begged.

Aunt Em looked sadly at Toto and I, "Put him in the basket, Henry," she sighed. She liked Toto and was obviously upset about this witch taking him.

"The idea!" Miss Gulch said triumphantly.

"Oh, don't, Uncle Henry. Oh, Toto! Don't…" I whimpered as Uncle Henry took my dog away from me and put him in Miss Gulch's tiny, cramped basket. I looked between my aunt and uncle in disbelief. How could they do this to Toto and me? I turned and ran to my room, but not before I heard Auntie Em scold Miss Gulch.

"Almira Gulch, just because you own half the county doesn't mean you have to power to run the rest of us! For twenty-three years I've been dying to tell you what I thought of you! And now-," Auntie Em chocked on her words. Tears were in her voice. "well, being a Christian woman I can't say it!"

I dropped to the floor in front of my bed. I sobbed into the quilt that my mother made before she died until I was getting a headache. I must have been in my room for quite some time because when I looked up at a noise, the sun was heading towards the horizon.

The noise I heard was far off into the distance. I strained to hear better and heard what sounded like barking. The barking came again and this time, it came with Toto jumping through my window.

"Toto, Darling! Oh, I got you back! You came back! Oh, I'm so glad!" I hugged my dog to my chest and smiled until the reality hit me. "Toto! Oh, they'll be coming back for you in a minute. We've got to get away! We've got to run away-quick!" I reached under my bed and pulled out my suitcase and threw clothes into it. I packed a small basket with pictures and an apple that was from my lunch pail as well.

I picked Toto up and we snuck out of my room and out the front door. We walked down the road and eventually came to an old wooden bridge. Toto barked excitedly and I looked down to see him looking off to the right. I followed his gaze and saw a wagon with something written on it.

_Professor Marvel Acclaimed By The Crowned Heads of Europe_

There was more but I didn't have time to read it because a man walked out of the wagon. He had on a brown suit and an old cowboy hat.

"Well, well, well, house guests, huh?" he asked looking at Toto and me. "And who might you be? No, no – now don't tell me," he waved his hand before I could speak. He walked over to a fire and I followed him. He sat down and looked at me after putting a hot dog onto a skewer. "Let's see – you're – you're traveling in disguise. No, that's not right. I – you're – you're going on a visit. No, I'm wrong," I shook my head at him smiling. "That's… You're – running away!" he smiled at me in triumph.

"How did you guess?" I asked truly stunned that he figured it out.

"Professor Marvel never guesses, he knows!" he corrected me. "Now, why are you running away?" He asked.

"Why-," I started before he interrupted.

"No, no – now don't tell me. They… they don't understand you at home. They don't appreciate you. You want to see other lands, big cities, big mountains, big oceans,"

"Why, it's just like you could read what was inside of me," I laughed. The man was right about everything.

"Well, we, umm," he stuttered just as Toto bit the hot dog off of the skewer and tried to run off.

"Oh, Toto, that's not polite! We haven't been asked yet!" I scolded him.

"He's perfectly welcome. As one dog to another, huh? Here now, let's see where were we?"

"Why can't we go with you to and see all the crowned heads of Europe?" I asked.

"Do you know any? Oh, you mean the thing…" he pointed to the wagon. "Yes, well, I – never do anything without consulting my crystal first. Let's go inside here – we'll. Just come along. I'll show you," he said and headed towards the wagon. I followed with Toto at my feet.

We walked into the wagon and sat around a small table. The wagon wasn't very big and I was surprised that the table was in here. On the table that was covered by a black sheet, a crystal ball sat looking mysterious. The professor sat across from me. He had switched his cowboy hat for a white turban with a jewel sitting at the top.

"That's right. Here, sit right down here. That's it," he gestured to the sit that I was already in. "Ha ha! This – this is the same genuine, magic, authentic crystal used by the Priests of Isis and Osiris in the days of the Pharaohs of Egypt – in which Cleopatra first saw the approach of Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony, and – and so on, and so on," he explained even though I had no idea who those people were. "Now, you – you'd better close your eyes, my child, for a moment – in order to be better in tune with the infinite. We – we can't do these things without reaching out into the infinite. Yes." I felt my basket that was in my lap being taken from me but I didn't protest. This was exciting to me! I was going to have my future told and possibly go to Europe!

"That's – that's all right. Now you can open them," I opened my eyes and saw Professor Marvel looking at the crystal ball. "We'll gaze into the crystal. Ahh – what's this I see? A house, with a picket fence, and a barn with a weather vane and a – a running horse." he announced.

I gasped. "That's our farm!"

"Yes, there's – there's a woman – she's… she's wearing a polka-dot dress… her face is careworn," he said.

"Yes… That's Aunt Em," I told him.

"Her… her name is Emily," he corrected.

"That's right. What's she doing?" I asked confused. Why was Aunt Em in my reading?

"Well, I – I can't quite see. Why, she's crying. Someone has hurt her – someone has just about broken her heart," he said sympathetically.

"Me?" I whispered.

Professor Marvel looked up at me, "Well, it's – it's someone she loves very much. Someone she's been very kind to. Some she's taken care of in sickness," he replied.

"I had the measles once, and she stayed right by me every minute," I said. "What's she doing now?" I asked concerned.

"She's – What's this? Why, she's – she's putting her hand on her heart. She's dropping down on the bed!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, no! No!" I half yelled.

"That's all. The crystal's gone dark," he shrugged.

I hopped up out of my chair and grabbed my basket. "You don't suppose she could really be sick, do you? Oh, oh I've got to go home right away!" I turned towards the door to the wagon.

"But – what's this? I thought you were going along with me," Professor Marvel questioned.

"Oh, no, no, I have to get to her right away! Come on, Toto," I threw open the door to be met with a giant gust of wind. "Goodbye Professor Marvel, and thanks a lot!" I called over my shoulder as I ran home.

The wind was picking up and it looked awful. I picked Toto up and ran home trying to keep the dirt from the road from getting into my eyes. I got to the gate and tried to push it open. It wouldn't budge so I had to kick it open. I ran up the stairs on the porch and threw open the screen door only to have it rip off of the house and flew away in the wind. I forced open the main door and ran into the living room.

"Auntie Em! Auntie Em!" I called. I searched the house and ran into my bedroom. I dropped Toto onto the bed and turned around. "Auntie Em! Uncle Henry!" I called again. I took a step before something hard hit me in the back of the head. I landed on the bed when everything went black.


	5. Explaining To Tasha and Dimitri

_**Back at the Academy**_

Lissa's POV

I stared at Tasha and Dimitri and saw Tasha smile at us.

"Well don't just stand there! Come give me a hug!" she said waving us over. Christian went forward while Adrian and I hung back. Dimitri noticed this and looked at me with a confused look on his face.

"What's wrong, Princess?" he asked using my title.

"It's nothing, and call me Lissa, Dimitri," I tried to pass off what happened to Rose smoothly. Sadly for me, I'm a terrible liar and my voice had a little bit of venom in it. Dimitri and Tasha heard this and looked at me.

"Lissa, what happened?" Tasha asked.

"The storm is getting to me that's all," I answered. I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"Lissa. If something is going on, I need to know," Dimitri stated flatly as only a guardian could.

"It's none of your business, Belikov," Adrian spat.

"Adrian, take Lissa and go for a walk. Don't leave the building, please," Christian instructed. We nodded and together we left the room.

After walking up a flight of stairs to the fourth floor, Adrian stopped and punched the wall. "Damn it! First Rose gets knocked out and is Wonderland and now the asshole who took Rose from us is back! He's going to stay until she wakes up and then leave again once she sees him. That girl is going to go straight to hell in a hand basket again!" he screamed.

I touched his shoulder and he looked fiercely into my eyes. "I will not let that happen, neither will Eddie and Christian. They saw and know what Tasha and Dimitri did to her. They won't let it happen again. Eddie's been protective of her ever since Mason died and Christian might get under Rose's skin, but he'll protect her as well. She also has us who can use super compulsion on Dimitri to keep him away," I soothed. It must have worked because Adrian took a deep breath and leaned his head against my shoulder.

Once he composed himself again, we went back to my room to see Tasha sitting on my bed with her face in her hands and Dimitri pacing the room like no tomorrow. They both looked up when we walked in.

"Lissa, why didn't you tell us about Rose's accident?" Tasha asked as if she was hurt by me not telling her.

"Because she is none of your concern. Rose is fine," I said curtly.

Dimitri came to a stop in front of me. A look of pure determination in his eyes. "I need to see her," he said.

"No way in hell," Adrian barked. Dimitri looked at me as if he didn't hear Adrian.

"What he said," I pointed to Adrian.

"Why not? She was my student! I have the right to know what's been going on," he said. I could tell that he was getting upset.

"You're right, she_ used_ to be your student. You left so in leaving her the way you did, you gave up the right to see, hear, or even know what is going on with her," Christian jumped in. I turned to see him leaning against my bedpost across from me.

"How – how do you-," Dimitri stammered before Adrian interrupted.

"She didn't have to tell us. She locked herself in her room for twenty-four hours and then beat the shit out of a dummy and punching bag in the gym. Eddie found her completely torn up and when we heard that you left with Tasha only the day before we put the pieces together," he fumed.

Dimitri looked between the three of us and then down at Tasha who looked shocked. Dimitri was about to say something when my cell rang.

"Hello?"

"Princess, Rose is talking – well, screaming – in her sleep. If you can get down here without any troubles and sit with her, she might calm down. I'm worried that she might have a seizure or a heart attack with the rate her heart is going," Dr. Olenski said urgently.

"Of course! I'll be right over," I said snapping my phone shut.

"Liss, what's up?" Christian asked looking worried.

"It's Rose. The talking has gotten worse and Olenski wants me there to try and calm her down before something serious happens," I explained while grabbing my raincoat. If any of us planned on keeping information from Dimitri, that hope went out the window.

"Is that such a good idea? I mean, it's storming like crazy," Tasha asked gesturing towards the window. I turned and glared at her.

"Yes it is. If her heart rate doesn't go down, she could have a heart attack. I'm not letting my best friend die or even come close to dying," I said coldly before running out of the dorm.

I ran through the rain that was now a good three inches deep. Water slashed the front and back of me as I ran to the clinic. I burst through the doors and went straight to Rose's room.

"Auntie Em! Auntie Em! Uncle Henry!" she screamed. Her hands balled up into fists and relaxed. She kicked out a little but not enough to move the blankets.

I grabbed her hand and tried to get her attention. "Rose! Rose, it's me! It's Lissa! Please stop screaming! Wake up Rose!" I begged. I worked to get her hand out of the tight fist it was in before she cut herself.

I heard a gasp behind me. I turned to see Adrian, Christian, Tasha, and Dimitri stood in the doorway. Tasha was the one who gasped because her face was bright red and her hands were clasped over her mouth. Dimitri looked like he couldn't believe the scene in front of him. It was like he refused to see the girl that he used to love lying in a hospital bed, thrashing around in a coma, and screaming a fictional character's name.

I turned my attention back to Rose as she screamed again. "Auntie Em! Auntie Em. AHHHHH!" I flinched when she let out her final scream and watched in horror as she fell against the bed.

I looked up at Adrian and Christian who stood on the other side of the bed and then down to Rose. Her breathing turned back to the deep, rhythmic breathing of one in a coma. She was perfectly still minus her chest rising and falling. Adrian fixed the blankets so that they weren't haphazardly thrown everywhere.

"You weren't kidding when you said she was talking in her sleep," Tasha whispered.

"I would never kid about something like this, Aunt Tasha," Christian clarified in a stern, strained voice. He hated seeing Rose like this.

"I think I'm going to stay here with her. She might need me, and Dr. Olenski said that she didn't know when she would wake up. Maybe I should be here just in case," I told Christian.

"Then I'll stay with you," Dimitri said. There was a finality in his voice that told everyone that he wasn't going to argue this matter.

I nodded curtly and said goodnight to Christian and Adrian as they left with Tasha. I climbed up on the bed with Rose and started to brush her hair with my fingers. Dimitri fell into the chair behind me and was silent. After a few minutes of combing Rose's hair, I fell asleep next to my best friend.


	6. Follow the Yellow Brick Road

_**Kansas**_

I woke up to the howling wind and Toto barking. I sat up on my bed and looking around. The pictures on my wall rattled as dirt, twigs, and grass flew into my window. I looked out the window to see nothing but brown air. I looked beside me and saw Toto standing up on the bed with me. He looked perfectly fine.

I looked back out my window and was astonished at what I saw. First, a chicken coop flew by followed by an old lady knitting in a rocking chair and a cow. Two men in a rowboat came rowing by as well. As soon as they past, I looked down out of the window.

"We must be up inside the cyclone!" I cried over the winds. I turned my attention back to the window.

I gasped when I saw Miss Gulch pedaling her bicycle past my window. What scared me the most was when her old, grey dress changed into a long, flowing, black dress and robe. Her bicycle turned into a broom and a pointed hat appeared on her head. She let out an evil cackle that made her look and sound like a real witch.

"Oh!" I screamed as I ducked back onto my bed and waited for the wicked old witch to leave. Instead of getting back up off of the bed, I gripped tighter to the quilt when the bed began to spin and move across my bedroom floor. "Ahh! Ahhh!" I screamed.

Toto jumped into my arms as it felt as if the house was plummeting to the ground. Then, as soon as it all started, everything became still again. I looked up and noticed that nothing was moving anymore. I grabbed my basket and Toto and walked through the house to the front door. I put Toto down and slowly opened the door. What I saw amazed me.

Before me was a small village. Everything was so bright and beautiful. I was so stunned by the beauty that I didn't saw a word until Toto brushed against my leg.

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," I looked around again and took in the blue sky and vibrant colors. "We must be over the rainbow!"

I walked off of the front porch and around the little area of pink and yellow brick around my house. I was so focused on the landscape that I didn't notice a pink bubble that was coming towards me until I turned around. I watched in wonder as the bubble grew in size and dissolved to reveal a beautiful woman in a long, pink, gown. Her blonde hair was curled around her shoulders and she had the most charming jade, green eyes.

"Now I know we're not in Kansas," I whispered.

The woman came closer to me and studied me. "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" she asked.

"Who, me?" I asked confused. "Why, I'm not a witch at all. I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas," I explained.

The woman looked down at Toto. "Well is that the witch?" She asked with a wave of her wand.

"Who, Toto? Toto's my dog," I almost laughed.

"Well, I'm a little muddled. The Munchkins called me because a new witch has just dropped a house of the Wicked Witch of the East. And there's the house, and here you are, and that's all that's left of the Wicked Witch of the East," the woman explained waving her wand in the direction of my house, and I saw a pair of legs sticking out from under it.

"And so what the Munchkins want to know is, are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" she asked nicely.

"Oh, but I've already told you, I'm not a witch at all! Witches are old and ugly." Just as I said that, laughter echoed from all around me. "What was that?" I asked. I was starting to become frightened.

"The Munchkins. They're laughing because I am a witch. I'm Glinda, the Witch of the North," Glinda smiled and curtsied.

"You are?" I asked astounded. "Oh, I beg your pardon! But I've never heard of a beautiful witch before." I apologized.

"Only bad witches are ugly. The Munchkins are happy because you have freed them from the Wicked Witch of the East," explained Glinda.

"Oh. But, if you please – what are Munchkins?"

"The little people who live in the land. It's Munchkinland, and you are their national heroine, my dear," she smiled at me. She then turned to the village in front of us and spoke, "It's all right – you may all come out and thank you. It's all right now – you may all come out," As she spoke she started to sing and little people in cute little outfits came out of every place possible. I watched in wonder as they all came up and crowded around us.

Come out, come out, wherever you are

And meet the young lady who fell from a

star.

She fell from the sky, she fell very far.

And Kansas she says is the name of the star.

She brings you good news. Or haven't you heard?

When she fell out of Kansas, a miracle occurred.

I got so into her words that I started to sing as well.

It really was no miracle. What happened was just this:

The wind began to switch – the house to pitch

And suddenly the hinges started to unhitch.

Just then, the witch – to satisfy and itch

Went flying on her broomstick thumbing for a hitch.

Before I could go on, the Munchkins took over singing and dancing. They were really enjoying themselves when Glinda made an announcement.

"Let the joyous news be spread, the Wicked old Witch at last is dead!"

More singing and dancing came from the Munchkins. I laughed and smiled at them as they performed little numbers in front of me and thanked me for getting rid of this witch for them. We were having a grand time when a loud noise and red smoke appeared out of no where. Glinda grabbed my shoulders and held me in place.

As the smoke cleared, the witch I saw from my window appeared right in front of me.

"I thought you said she was dead," I gasped.

"That was her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East. This is the Wicked Witch of the West, and she's worse than the other one was," I looked back at her in disbelief. I turned as I heard the witch come closer to me.

"Who killed my sister? Who killed the Witch of the East? Was it you?" she screeched at me.

"No, no! It was an accident! I didn't mean to kill anybody!" I stammered.

"Well, my little pretty, I can cause accidents too!" the Witch yelled.

"Aren't you forgetting the ruby slippers?" Glinda asked.

"The slippers? Yes! The slippers," the Witch sneered as she turned towards what was left of her sister. "They're gone!" she gasped. She marched back over to me and glared.

"The ruby slippers! What have you done with them? Give them back to me, or I'll-,"

"It's too late! There they are, and there they'll stay!" Glinda pointed to my feet.

"Give me back my slippers! I'm the only one that knows how to use them. They're of no use to you! Give them back to me!" the Witch ordered.

"Keep tight inside of them! Their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn't want them so badly," Glinda mummered into my ear.

"You stay out of this, Glinda or I'll fix you as well!" the Witch threatened.

"Oh, rubbish!" Glinda laughed. "You have no power here. Be gone, before someone dropped a house on you too".

"Very well, I'll bid my time. And as for you, my fine lady, it's true I can't attend to you here and now as I'd like, but just try to stay out of my way, just try! I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!" The Witch cackled.

With that, she suddenly vanished into a cloud of red smoke. Glinda waved her hand and wand around in the air.

"It's all right. She's gone. You can all get up," she sang. She then turned to me, "I'm afraid you've made rather a bad enemy of the Wicked Witch of the West. The sooner you get out of Oz altogether, the safer you'll sleep, my dear," she advised.

"I'd give anything to get out of Oz altogether, but which is the way back to Kansas? I can't go the way I came," I said sadly.

"No, that's true. The only person who might know would be the great and wonderful Wizard of Oz himself," Glinda proclaimed.

"The Wizard of Oz?" I asked. "Is he good or is he wicked"?

"Oh, very good, but very mysterious. He lives in the Emerald City, and that's a long journey from here. Did you bring your broomstick with you?" She smiled at me.

"No, I'm afraid I didn't," I sighed.

"Well, then you'll have to walk. The Munchkins will see you safely to the border. And remember, never let those ruby slippers off your feet for a moment, or you will be at the mercy of the Wicked Witch of the West," she warned.

"But, how do I start for Emerald City?"

"It's always best to start at the beginning – and all you do is follow the Yellow Brick Road," she pointed down at my feet. I was standing on yellow brick.

"But – what happens if I -," I started but was cut off by a Glinda forming into a bubble.

"Just follow the Yellow Brick Road," she said before she vanished.

"My! People come and go so quickly here! Follow the Yellow Brick Road. Follow the Yellow Brick Road?" I asked myself as I started to walk.

Toto walked beside me as the Munchkins started singing and soon, Toto and I were well on our way to Emerald City.


	7. Through Dimitri's Eyes

_**The Academy**_

Dimitri's POV

I watched as Lissa left the room to get a Coke. Rose hadn't moved since her last fit when I walked in. To be honest, it scared me to see her like that. When Christian told me about her being in a coma, I didn't want to believe it. Only my fears were confirmed when I saw her in the hospital bed. Ever since her last fit, the only difference was in her face. She smiled more and laughed once out loud.

Now, alone with her, I got up from the chair that I had been sitting in by the window and went to the side of her bed. I studied her face, a face I hadn't seen in almost a year and a half. Her hair was longer, her face softer, her mouth was just as it was when I left, and she had gotten a new earring at the top of her right ear. Some part of me was happy that her eyes were closed, though. I didn't want to see the pain in them that I caused.

I watched her a little bit longer in a comfortable silence. Nothing changed until she suddenly gasped.

"No, no! It was an accident! I didn't mean to kill anybody!" she said. Her voice sounded so fragile and meek that it hurt. It wasn't the Rose Hathaway voice that I was used to and craved to hear. It also caught me off guard that she would be saying something like what she had. She was killing people in her dreams? She sounded like she was begging to be understood. I watched her face more carefully as it twisted in fear. I watched as her face turned to shook and than sadness. What was going on inside her head?

"Dimitri?" I looked up to see Lissa and Christian standing opposite of me. "How she doing?" she asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I don't know. She was saying something about not meaning to kill anyone, but other than that, I don't know," I said honestly.

Christian gave Lissa a look that told me that something was up. "What part is she at?"

"The witch is in Munchkinland and so is she," Lissa replied easily. She let out a sigh of relief.

"What do you mean?" I asked. This was confusing to me. What witch and what is Munchkinland?

"Rose is dreaming, well, active dreaming that is. She believes that she's Dorothy in the _Wizard of Oz_," Christian answered.

"What's that?" I honestly couldn't find any relevance to this.

"The _Wizard of Oz_? It's one of the greatest movies of all time! It's one of Rose's many favorites," Lissa laughed.

Oh. Good to know that I knew Rose so well when we were together.

"Don't look so upset. You didn't know something so small and irrelevant," Lissa soothed. Her face then turned questionable. "When she wakes up, are you going to be here?"

I planned on it but something in the back of my mind told me not to. "I don't know. I want to but maybe I've hurt her too much for her to recover fully with me here," I said hanging my head.

"If you are here, maybe she'll recover faster," Christian spoke up.

"You're on my side with this?" I asked in disbelieve.

"Rose has been going to extremes with training and we're worried about her. She's gonna die from exhaustion if she keeps going at this rate," he replied. He looked down at Rose and his eyes filled with emotion.

"But you have to admit, without her training, I would be on that bed and not her," Lissa whispered.

"And for that I'm grateful," Christian moved so that he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Dimitri, we've all missed you. Rose has the most, but if you plan on staying, don't you dare hurt her again," Lissa said seriously.

I nodded as they left the room. I went and shut the door behind them and turned out the lights. I slid in the bed beside Rose and let my fingers explore her face as gently as possible. I lied there for the rest of the night holding my Roza.


	8. The Scarecrow

_**Oz**_

**Dorothy's point of view.**

Toto and I had been walking down the yellow brick road for what felt like hours. I was getting tired and worried. Maybe we would never get back to Kansas! I went over the words that the Munchkins told me.

"Follow the yellow brick road? Follow the yellow…" I looked up from my feet to see that Toto and I had reached a four way stop. I looked around for signs to tell me where to go. Coming up empty, I looked around worried. "Now which way do we go?"

"That way is a very nice way." I looked around frightened.

"Who said that?" Toto started barking while I looked around. When Toto wouldn't stop barking, I followed his gaze to see a scarecrow sitting in a cornfield. "Don't bee silly, Toto, Scarecrows don't talk,"

"It's pleasant down that way too." I looked around to find the voice again when my eyes landed on the scarecrow.

"That's funny. Wasn't he pointing the other way?" I looked down at Toto.

"Of course, people do go both ways." I look up just in time to see the scarecrow's arms cross in front of him and point in both directions. I feel my eyes grow huge.

"Why, you did say something, didn't you?" I step up onto the curb and over to the fence that outlined the cornfield the scarecrow was in.

The scarecrow shook his head at my question. Then after a little bit of thought, he nodded and smiled at me.

"Are you doing that on purpose, or can't you make up your mind?" I asked.

The scarecrow looked at me and lifted his hat a little so that I could see the straw under the straw under it. "That's the trouble. I can't make up my mind. I haven't got a brain, only straw."

I look at him with a question on my face. "How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?"

"I don't know," he replied. "But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"

"Yes, I guess you're right." I nodded in agreement. Then something struck me. I step over the fence and smile at the scarecrow. "Well, we haven't really met properly, have we?"

The scarecrow looks just as surprised at this fact as I had. "Why no!"

I curtsy, "How do you do?"

He nodded, "How do you do?"

"Very well thank you."

"Oh, I'm not feeling at all well." He looks sadly around him "You see, it's very tedious being stuck up here all day long with a pole up your back."

"Oh, dear. That must be terribly uncomfortable. Can't you get down?"

"Down?" The scarecrow looks like the word is new to him. "No, you see, I'm….Well.. I'm…" He gestures to the pole behind him.

"Oh, well, here. Let me help you," I offer.

"Oh, that's very kind of you, very kind," he has said as I walked around to look at the post. Sadly, I didn't find a way to get him down.

"Well, oh, dear. I don't quite see how I can-,"

"Of course," he started, "I'm not bright about doing things, but if you'll just bend the nail down in the back, maybe I'll slip off-," While he was talking, I moved the nail that he was talking about and he fell right off the post. We both cried out in shock.

"Oh!"

"Whhoops! Ha-ha!" The scarecrow laughs as he gathers himself. "There goes some of me again!" I watched in amazement as he stuffs straw back into his shirt.

"Does it hurt you?" I asked.

"Oh no. I just keep picking it up and putting it back in again!"

"Oh."

"My!" The scarecrow stands up and stretches. "It's good to be free!" He spun around and fell over the fence.

"Oh! Oh!" I exclaim as I run after him.

"Did I scare you?" he asked all concerned.

I sat beside him. "No, no. I-I just thought you hurt yourself."

"But I didn't scare you?"

"No, of course not." I replied.

"I didn't think so." He looked so crest fallen. A crow landed on his shoulder and he started to shoo it away. "Boo! Scat! Boo!" He looked at me. "You see, I can't even scare a crow! They come from miles around just to eat in my field and laugh in my face! Oh, I'm a failure, because I haven't got a brain."

"Well, what would you do with a brain if you had one?" I asked. I watched as he sat up straight.

"Do? Why, if I had a brain, I could-

I could while away the hours,

Conferrin' with the flowers,

Consultin' with the rain.

And my head I'd be scratchin'

While my thoughts were busy hatchin'

If I only had a brain.

I'd unravel every riddle

For any individ'le

In trouble or in pain."

I reached over and steadied him as he wobbled around.

"With the thought you'll be thinkin'

You could be another Lincoln

If you only had a brain."

The scarecrow stood up and danced to the road.

"Oh, I could tell you why

The ocean's near the shore

I could think of things I never thunk before,

And then I'd sit and think some more.

I would not be just a nuffin'

My head all full of stuffin'

My heart all full of pain.

I would dance and be merry

Life would be a ding-a-derry

If I only had a brain!

I watched in amazement as the scarecrow sang and danced to his song. I was so astonished by the act that when he fell, I wasn't too worried. I saw that he was just fine on his own so Toto and I watched with smiles on our faces.

Gosh, it would be awful pleasin'

To reason out the reason

For things I can't explain

Then perhaps I'll deserve you

And be even worthy erv you

If I only had a brain.

The scarecrow ended his song and landed on his rear. More of his stuffing came out and I ran forward to help him.

"Wonderful! Why, if our scarecrow back in Kansas could that, the crows'd be scared to pieces!" I exclaimed.

He looked at me with wonder. "They would?" When I nodded, he asked another question. "Where's Kansas?"

"That's where I live. And I want to get back there so badly I'm going all the way to Emerald City to get the Wizard of Oz to help me," I said.

My mentioning the Wizard made Scarecrow's face light up. "You're going to see a Wizard?"

I nodded again. "Um-hmm."

"Do you think if I went with you this Wizard would give me some brains?"

"I couldn't say," I answered honestly. "But even if he didn't, you'd be no worse off than you are now."

"Yes, that's true." Scarecrow looked down at the ground.

"But maybe you better not," I said after I remember something from Munchkinland. "I've got a witch mad at me, and you might get into trouble."

"Witch? Huh! I'm not afraid of a witch!" he proclaimed loudly. "I'm not afraid of anything." H leaned over as if to whisper something. "Except a lighted match."

I nodded. "I don't blame you for that." I look down at all of the straw coming out of his shirt and hat.

"But I'd face a whole box full of them for the chance of getting some brains. Look," Scarecrow shifted to sit on hid knees. "I won't be any trouble, because I don't eat a thing. And I won't try to manage things because I can't think. Won't you take me with you?"

I smile at him and agreed. "Why, of course I will!"

"Hooray!" Scarecrow shouted as he leapt to his feet. "We're off to see a Wizard!" I stumbled and I caught him while balancing my basket on my arm.

"Oh! Well you're not starting out very well."

"Oh, I'll try! Really, I will!" he promised.

I hold out my arm and smile at my new friend. "To Oz?

"To Oz!" Scarecrow repeats linking his arm with mine.

"We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We hear he is the whiz of a Wiz

If ever a Wiz there was.

The Wizard of Oz

Is one because, because, because, because, because, because!

Because of the wonderful things he does.

We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!"


	9. The DVD

_**The Academy**_

Dimitri

When I woke up, I first looked at Rose. She was still in her coma, but she was smiling. It was like she was dreaming of something that made her absolutely happy. Her smile was genuine and beautiful. It was devastating.

I stood up and stretched. I had laid next to Rose all night and the bed and the small space that I was in wasn't enough room for my body. I walked over to the window and watched the sun setting. It was Moroi morning and Lissa would be over here to check up on Rose any moment. Actually, she got here faster than I expected.

I heard the door open and Lissa popped her head into the room.

"How is she?" she asked when she saw me.

"Good I guess. She didn't talk during the night and she was smiling earlier." I gestured towards Rose's form in the bed.

"I wonder where she is now," Lissa said. She got reflective look while she watched her best friend sleep. Then, out of the blue, she remembered something. "Oh! I brought this for you."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a DVD with four people, a scarecrow, a tinman, a young girl, and a lion, linked arm in arm with each other. They stood on a yellow brick road with red flowers on the sides. A blue sky and white clouds were behind the title of the DVD. _The Wizard of Oz _was written in yellow with a small, black dog in the center of the O in Oz. a group of green towers stood off in the distance.

"The movie that Rose thinks that she's in?" I guessed.

Lissa blushed. "Yeah. I figured that you never saw it and so I thought that you could go through the journey with her. I feel bad when I say where she's at in the story and you look clueless."

I nodded my thanks and put the disc into the DVD player attached to the TV that was mounted to the wall. I hit play and waited for the movie to start. I was about to hit fast forward when I looked at the DVD box closer. The girl looked familiar. She looked like Rose. The blue and white checked dress and ruby slippers were not Rose's style, but the brown eyes and brown hair were almost a match.

The opening scene began and my and Lissa's attention were drawn to the screen.

**I kinda felt bad for making Dimitri so out of the loop so I thought that him watching what Rose was going through would help. I'm not going to write everything that he sees, but i will write most of his reactions. He's watching this while Rose is doing it so repeating it would be boring and redundant. -SagWarrior**


	10. The Tin Man

_**The Tinsman's Forest**_

Dorothy

Scarecrow, Toto, and I had walked for a long way by the time we found food. When we did, it was in a form that I didn't expect. We had walked into an apple orchard.

"Oh! Apples!" I ran up to a tree and picked one off before something came up and hit my hand. "Ouch!"

The tree that I had picked the apple off of looked at me with an angry expression. "What do you think you're doing?"

I blink at the tree, astonished that it talked to me. "We've been walking a long way and I was hungry and…Did you say-?"

I was cut off by the tree yelling loudly. "She was hungry! Well, how would you like to have someone come along and pick something off of you?"

Scarecrow comes up beside me and looks between me and the tree. "Oh dear," I said. "I keep forgetting I'm not in Kansas."

"Come along, Dorothy," Scarecrow said to me. "You don't want any of those apples."

The tree looked outraged. "What do you mean she doesn't want any of those apples? Are you hinting my apples aren't what they ought to be?"

"Oh, no!" Scarecrow said slowly, "It's just that she doesn't like little green worms"

The tree scowled in anger and started to pick up apples around it. Scarecrow leaned down to me and whispered, "I'll show you how to get apples." He makes a face at the tree and it throws apples at us. We grabbed them as they rolled on the road and into the grass. Toto barked at the trees and it only aggravated them more.

I follow a trail of apples that led into the woods. I start to crawl on my hands and knees to pick them up. As I crawled, my eye caught something that wasn't red or an apple. I hit it with my knuckle and it makes a noise. I work my way of the metal until I'm standing up. Scarecrow arrived at my side and looked at what I found.

"Why, it's a man! A man made out of tin!" I exclaimed.

"Oil can…Oil can…," Scarecrow looked at me with a surprised look and I looked back. Neither of us had spoken in such a muffled tone. I looked back at the tin man.

"Did you say something?" I asked him.

"Oil can…," he said again.

"Oil can what?" asked the Scarecrow.

"Oil can?" I repeat. Then my eyes see a tin can. "Oh! Here it is!"

Scarecrow and I look over the tin man to see where to oil him first. After finding nothing, I asked him.

"Where do you want to be oiled first?"

"My mouth…My mouth!" Tin Man answered.

"He said his mouth!" Scarecrow repeated.

"Here!" I handed him the oil can so he could take care of the one side. He handed it back to me when he was done.

"The other side…," he instructed. I oiled the hinge on the tin man's mouth. When I was done, he started to move it from side to side.

"Mh, mh, mh, mh, m, m, my, my, my goodness! I can talk again!" Tin Man announced happily. "I can talk again! Oh, oil my arms, please oil my elbows!"

Scarecrow and I oiled his arms and Tin Man's axe, one that was upright when I found him fell to the ground.

"Oh! Did that hurt?" I was concerned that he'd hurt himself.

"No," he sighed, "it feels wonderful. I've held that axe up for ages."

"Oh, goodness! How did you ever get like this?"

Tin Man looked at me with a kind smile. "Well, about a year ago, I was chopping that tree, minding my own business, when suddenly, it started to rain. And right in the middle of a chop, I rusted solid. And I've been that way ever since." By the time he got done talking, Tin Man looked so sad. I tried to make him smile.

"Well you're perfect now."

"My neck. My neck," Tin Man complained. Scarecrow oiled his neck while he kept talking. "Perfect? Oh bang on my chest if you think I'm perfect. Go ahead, bang on it!"

I did and a loud bang echoed off into silence.

"Beautiful! What an echo!" Scarecrow smiled.

"It's empty. The tinsmith forgot to give me a heart." Tin Man looked down while Scarecrow and I exchanged shocked looks.

"No heart?" we both asked.

"No heart," Tin Man repeated. "All hollow.

When a man's an empty kettle,

He should be on his mettle.

And yet I'm torn apart.

Just because I'm presumin'

That I could be kind-a human

If I only had a heart.

I'd be tender, I'd be gentle

And awful sentimental

Regarding love and art

I'd be friends with the sparrows and the boy who shoots the arrows

If I only had a heart.

Picture me a balcony above a voice sings low.

'Wherefore art thou, Romeo?'

I hear a beat…how sweet!

Just to register emotion

Jealousy-devotion

And really feel the part,

I could stay young and chipper

And I'd lock it with a zipper

If I only had a heart!

Tin Man got up and started to dance around on the road. Scarecrow and watched as our new friend blew steam out of his hat and moved around. Scarecrow leaned down and whispered into my ear right before Tin Man finished his song, which he ended by falling down in the grass.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm afraid I'm a little rusty yet," he admitted with a smile

"Oh dear, that was wonderful! You know, we were just wondering why you couldn't come to Emerald City with us to ask the Wizard of Oz for a heart," I said. Scarecrow nodded in agreement.

"Well, suppose the Wizard wouldn't get me one when we get there?" Tin Man asked.

"Oh, but he will!" I assured him. "He must! We've come such a long way already!"

"You call that long?" We heard a new, evil voice cackle above us. We all spun around and spotted the Wicked Witch of the West standing on the Tin Man's house. "Why, you've just begun! Helping the little lady along, are you, my fine gentlemen? Well, stay away from her!" The witch looked at Scarecrow. "Or I'll stuff a mattress with you! And you," she looked at Tin Man, "I'll use you for a bee-hive!" That wicked old witch formed a fire ball in her hand and laughed. "Here, Scarecrow! Want to play ball?" The witch threw the ball of fire and it caught some loss straw from Scarecrow's arm on fire! I screamed as Tin Man put out the fire and the witch vanished a cloud of red smoke.

"I'm not afraid of her!" Scarecrow said sternly. "I'll see you get safely to the Wizard now, whether I get a brain or not! Stuff a mattress with me! Hah!"

Tin Man looks at me with a determined expression on his face. "I'll see you reach the Wizard, whether I get a heart or not. Bee-hive. Bah! Let her try and make a bee-hive outta me!"

I smiled at my friends. "Oh, you're the best friends anybody ever had! And it's funny, but I feel as if I've known you all the time. But I couldn't have, could I?"

"I don't see how. You weren't around when I was stuffed ad sewn together, were you?" Scarecrow asked.

"And I was standing over there rusting for the longest time," Tin Man pointed out.

"Still, I wish I could remember." I said sadly. "But, I guess it doesn't matter anyway. We know each other now, don't we?" I asked more cheerfully.

"That's right!" Scarecrow said.

"We do," Tin Man added.

"To Oz?"

"To Oz!"

"We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We hear he is the whiz of a Wiz

If ever a Wiz there was.

The Wizard of Oz

Is one because, because, because, because, because, because!

Because of the wonderful things he does.

We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!"

The three of us and Toto skipped off towards the forest on our way to Emerald City with our arms linked.

**So, I'm thinking on who to make who. We all know that Rose is Dorothy and Lissa being Glinda is kind of a given. It's who Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion are. I'm thinking: Christian-Scarecrow (we all know that Christian can not us his brain in somethings) Dimitri- Tin Man (His love issues) Adrian-Lion (the man drinks and smokes to get away from spirit for pete's sake) Tasha-Wicked Witch (I never cared for the chick) Alberta and Stan- Auntie Em and Uncle Henry (made better sense than Janine and Abe) and Abe for the Wizard. Janine is just out of luck unless i remember a character in the movie that i forgot. -SagWarrior**


	11. Frustration

_**Dimitri in the Infirmary**_

I was scowling by the time Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Tin Man were entering the forest. I paused the video and looked over at Rose. How could she be so vulnerable and weak against some witch in a dream/movie when she was so strong in real life? I was getting mad about this, but Lissa didn't share my feelings.

"Dimitri, she's fine. You see that for yourself. She's in capable and friendly hands. At least, I think she is." We hadn't figured out exactly where Rose was. We heard her gasp when Dorothy had apples thrown at her and again when the wicked witch came and caught Scarecrow on fire. That sounded promising.

"I'm jut confused," I confessed. "She's so strong and stubborn and Rose-like! How can she be a sweet, meek, innocent girl in a coma?" I wasn't understanding.

"She's in a dream. You can be anything or anyone when you dream. Rose had a dream once that she was Bubbles from the Powerpuff Girls but with Spiderman powers. Yes it's weird, but it's just active dreaming. She's still Rose. Rose is just compressed and Dorothy is here." Lissa smiled at me as she explained. It made sense. The explanation not the Powerpuff example.

I sat down in my seat next to Rose's bed again and hit play. I had about an hour left I the movie and I had to stay consistent with Rose's dreaming.


	12. The Lion

_**The Lion's Forest**_

Scarecrow, Tin Man, Toto and I made our way through the dark forest. It frightened me so much and I was glad that I had friends to be there with me. The dark woods and the noises around me were surly going to give me nightmares!

"I don't like this forest!" I said in a frighten voice. I couldn't hold my fear in any longer. "It's dark…and…creepy."

"Of course, I don't know, but I think it'll get darker before it gets lighter," Scarecrow replied. He was so frightened that his legs wouldn't move without making him fall with almost every step.

"Do-do you suppose we'll meet any wild animals?" I had never seen many wild animals in Kansas and I was okay with not seeing any today.

"We might." Tin Man answered. He sounded strong in confident in himself. I envied him that.

"Animals that-that eat…straw?" Scarecrow asked shaking.

"Some. But mostly lions, and tigers, and bears."

I gasped. "Lions?"

"And tigers?" Scarecrow shook even more.

"And bears." Tin Man stated.

My fear grew as our group headed on. "Lions and tigers and bears. Oh, my! Lions and tigers and bear. Oh my! Lions and tigers and bears. Oh, my! Lions and tigers and bears. Oh, my! Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!"

We had made it to a dark groove of trees rather fat with our skipping and chanting that when a lion pounced at us, I screamed. I jumped behind a tree with Toto as Tin Man and Scarecrow fell into the brush. The lion growled at us.

"Put 'em up! Put 'em up!" the lion ordered. He held his fists in front of him ready to fight. "Which one of you first? I'll fight you both together if you want! I'll fight you with one paw behind my back. I'll fight you standing on one foot. I'll fight you with my eyes closed. Oh! Pulling an axe on me, eh?" Lion lounged towards Tin Man. "Sneaking up on me, eh? Why!" Lion turned to Scarecrow.

"Here, here. Go 'way and let us alone!" Tin Man said. I heard the fear in his voice as Lion turned on him.

"How long can you stay fresh in that can?" Lion laughs. How cruel! "Come on. Get up and fight, you shivering junk yard!" he barked at Tin Man. He then looked at Scarecrow who was shaking against the curb of the yellow brick road. "Put your hands up, you lopsided bag of hay!"

"Now that's getting personal, Lion," Scarecrow argued.

"Yes," Tin Man looks at Scarecrow. "Get up and teach him a lesson."

"Well…what's wrong with you teaching him?" Scarecrow asked.

"Well I hardly know him!" Tin Man shot back.

Beside me, Toto saw Lion and started to bark. This only upset the Lion. He turned on us and glared at Toto.

"Well, I'll get you anyway, Pee-Wee."

At Lion's threat, I picked up Toto and hid behind the tree. Lion comes after us and I ran around the tree. Lion followed me around until I slapped his hand away from my dog.

"Shame on you!" I shouted. The Lion cradled his paw and started to cry.

"What-what did you do that for? I didn't bite him."

"No, but you tried to!" I said. I was angry at Lion for trying to hurt Toto. He had enough trouble with Ms. Gulch. "It's bad enough picking on a straw man, but when you go around picking on poor little dogs!"

"Well, you didn't have to go and hit me, did you? Is my nose bleeding?" Lion asked as he removed his tail from his nose.

"Well, of course not." I started to feel sorry for the Lion. "My goodness, what a fuss you're making. Well, naturally when you go around picking on things weaker than you are. Why, you're nothing but a great big coward!" I announced.

"You're right. I am a coward." Lion nodded. "I haven't any courage at all. I even scare myself. Look at the circles under my eyes. I haven't slept in weeks."

"Why don't you try counting sheep?" Tin Man asked.

"That doesn't do any good. I'm afraid of 'em." Lion burst into another round of tears.

"Oh, that's too bad. Don't you think the Wizard could help him, too?" Scarecrow asked me.

"I don't see why not." I replied. "Why don't you come along with us? We're on our way to see the Wizard now. To get him a heart." I pointed to Tin Man.

"And him a brain." Tin Man pointed to Scarecrow.

"I'm sure he could give you some courage," I said.

"Well, wouldn't ou feel degraded to be seen in the company of a cowardly lion? I would!" Lion asked.

"No, of course not!" I said shaking my head.

"Gee, that's awfully nice of you. My life has been simply unbearable.

Yeh, it's sad, believe me, Missy

When you're born to be a sissy

Without the vim and verve.

But I could show my prowess

Be a lion not a mou-ess

If I only had the nerve

I'm afraid there's no deyin

I'm just a dande-lion

A fate I don't deserve

I'd be brave as a blizzard"

(Tin Man) I'd be gentle as a lizard

(Scarecrow) I'd be clever as a gizzard

(Me) If the Wizard is a Wizard who will serve

(S) Then I'm sure to get a brain

(T) a heart

(D) a home

(L) Then nerve

"We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We hear he is the whiz of a Wiz

If ever a Wiz there was.

The Wizard of Oz

Is one because, because, because, because, because, because!

Because of the wonderful things he does.

We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!"

We all walked together with Toto behind us down the yellow brick road and out towards the end of the forest.

**There are a lot of line changes in the song and i hope that i didn't confuse you too much. I guess i forgot to mention that i am using the script from the movie for the wizard of oz. I don't know it, i found it on the internet. I hope you like it so far! -SagWarrior**


	13. Nerves!

_**The Academy**_

Dimitri

I watched Dorothy and her friends skip through the woods and singing about the wizard for the fifth time. It was getting old fast. I was about to complain when the forest scene changed into s new scene. It is the Witched Witch of the West and her monkey thing watching Dorothy through a crystal ball. The witch laughs and talks about poison. I turn to Lissa.

"Children watch this?"

"Of course. When do you think Rose first say it?" She answered simply.

"The witch wants to poison Dorothy!" I couldn't understand why parents would allow children to watch this movie.

"She's not really poisoning her. She's making the poppies make Dorothy fall asleep. You'll see later in the movie." Lissa gestured back towards the screen that showed the old crone mixing something in a bowl.

I turned and looked at Rose. She had been silent except for a small gasp, a scream, and a 'shame on you'. We were right along side of her with the movie. A thought crossed my mind and made me jump.

"Lissa! Does she know about what the witch is doing?"

Lissa shook her head. "No she doesn't. She'll know soon enough though."

I tried to clear my head as I sat down in my chair again and watched the witch say "poppies!' over and over again. This movie was nerve-wrecking!


	14. The Wizard!

_**Oz**_

My friends and I walked through the woods and finally, after so much walking, we broke through and were standing in a field of red flowers. We stopped and looked around us. The yellow brick road cut through the field that was covered in flowers and led straight to a cluster of emerald green towers.

"There's Emerald City!" I announced pointing. My excitement was written plainly on my face. "Oh, we're almost there at last! At last! It's beautiful, isn't it? Just like I knew it would be. He really must be a wonderful Wizard to live in a city like that!" My friend's excitement and happiness were radiant as they looked at the towers.

"Well, come on then. What are we waiting for?" Lion asked.

"Nothing!" Scarecrow shouted, "let's hurry!"

"Yes, let's run!" I agreed. We all took off across the field, the road completely forgotten as we rushed towards the answer to al of our problems.

"Come on! Come on!" Scarecrow hollered.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Tin Man added.

"Oh! Oh, come on! Come on!" Scarecrow rushed ahead of the rest of us.

"Look! You can see it here. It's wonderful!" Tin Man yelled right behind Scarecrow. I slowed down with Lion next to me. My world started to fade in and out and I staggered more than once. I had to put my hand on my forehead.

"I can't run anymore. I'm so sleepy."

Scarecrow ran back to me and looked worried. "Here- give us your hands and we'll pull you along."

"Oh no. Please. I have to rest for just a minute." I look around me for my dog. "Toto? Where's Toto?" As I lied down in the flowers, I see Toto lying next to me fast asleep. I close my eyes as my friends protest and ask me to get up.

A few minutes later, I woke up to snow falling from the sky. Scarecrow was standing above me and Toto was standing on his feet looking at me.

"It does help. Dorothy, you're waking up!" Scarecrow exclaimed.

"Oh…" was all I was able to say. Lion straightens up beside me.

"Oh- unusual weather we're having, ain't it?"

"Look!" I pointed to Tin Man, "He's rusted again. Oh, give me the oil can!" Scarecrow hands me the can and I oiled Tin Man's hinges. He comes to life again and looks around. "Come on, let's get out of here!" I suggested. I turned around and pointed at the Emerald City. "Look! Emerald City is closer and prettier than ever!"

With that, we all skip out of the field and onto the yellow brick road. We keep going until we reach a giant, green and silver door with a huge knocker on it. I found a rope and pulled on it. A bell rang and a man popped out of a hole in the door. He looked mad!

"Who rang that bell?" he demanded.

"We did," me and my friends said together.

"Can't you read?" the doorman asked.

"Read what?" Scarecrow asked.

"The notice!" The doorman's face was turning purple with anger.

"What notice?" we asked together. We couldn't see any notice on the door.

"It's on the door! As plain as the nose on my face!" The man looked down and to his right, pointing. "It- Oh…" When he realized that the notice was not in place, the doorman reached behind him and came back with a sign. He hung it on the door and slammed the door in our face. My friends and I read the notice out loud and together.

"Bell out of order. Please Knock." I took the knocker in my hand and knocked. The doorman appeared again with a smile on his face.

"Well, that's more like it. Now, state your business."

"We want to see the Wizard!" We all said together.

"Ohhhh! The Wizard! But nobody can see the Great Oz! Nobody's ever seen the Great Oz! Even I've never seen him!" The doorman sniffed at the thought.

"Well, then how do you know there is one?" I asked.

"Because he-I-oh! You're wasting my time!" the door man threw his hands up and turned to go.

"Oh, please!" I called. "Sir. I've got to see the Wizard! The Good Witch of the North sent me!"

"Prove it!" the man ordered.

Scarecrow saved us. "She's wearing the ruby slippers she gave her." He pointed to me feet.

"Oh! So she is! Well bust my buttons! Why didn't you say that in the first place? That's a horse of a different color! Come on in!" He opened the door to reveal a huge place that was covered in green people in green outfits walked past us. Some stared and whispered, many smiled at us kindly. A man driving a horse and buggy pulled up in front of my and my friends.

"Caddy! Caddy! Just what you're looking for! Take you any place in the city, we does."

"Well, would you take us to see the Wizard?" I asked.

The man looked at my funny. "The Wizard? The Wizard? I-can't-well- Yes. Of course. But first I'll take you to a little place where you can tidy up a bit."

My friends and I climbed into the buggy. I stood up and leaned over to thank the man. "Oh, thank you so much. We've been gone such a long time and we feel so mess-" I stopped talking when I caught sight of the horse that was drawing the buggy. The animal was purple! "What kind of a horse is that? I've never seen a horse like that before!"

"No, and never will again, I fancy," the man chuckled. "There's only one of him and he's it. He's the Horse of a Different color, you've heard tell about." Then, like everyone else in Oz, the cabby started to sing.

"Ha ha ha, ho ho ho and a couple of tra la las

That's how we laugh the day away

In the merry of land of Oz

Bzz bzz bzz chirp chirp chrip

And a couple of la di das

That's how the crickets crick all day

In the merry old land of Oz

We get up at twelve and start to work at one

Take an hour for lunch and then at two we're done

Jolly good fun!

"Ha ha ha, ho ho ho and a couple of tra la las

That's how we laugh the day away

In the merry of land of Oz

"Ha ha ha, ho ho ho and a couple of tra la las

That's how we laugh the day away

In the merry of land of Oz"

We got out of the buggy and headed towards a business that read: WASH AND BRUSH UP CO. Everyone around us was signing and dancing as we were all led to different stations. Scarecrow had he straw cleaned and newly stuffed. Tin Man's rusty old tin was shined and rubbed down. I asked for my brown eyes to match my dress and had my hair curled. Lion got his mane trimmed and curled as well. We all looked fantastic as we left the building. Everyone was happy and smiling until we heard a horrible noise from above us. In the sky, was the Wicked Witch in her broom!

"Who's her? Who's her?" Lion asked. He started to tremble with fear.

"It's the Witch! She's followed us here!" I exclaimed.

"Can't that female take no for an answer?" Tin Man asked.

A woman standing near us started to talk. We looked to see the Witch writing something in black smoke in the sky. "Surrender Dorothy or die! W.W.W."

"Dorothy? Who's Dorothy?" another woman asked.

"The Wizard will explain it!" someone yelled. Everyone but me and my friends started to run towards a large building.

"Dear, whatever shall we do?" I asked.

"Well, we'd better hurry if we're going to see the Wizard!" Scarecrow reasoned. We all agreed and ran with the crowd. A guard stood n front of the door, not allowing anyone in.

"Here! Here! Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Stop! It's all right! Every- It's all right! Everything is all right! The Great and Powerful Oz had got matters well in hand-I hope- So you can all go home, and there's nothing to worry about." The guard started to dismiss everyone. My friends and I pushed our way to the front to talk to him. "Get out of here now- go on! Go on home!"

I spoke to him first. "If you please, sir. We want to see the Wizard right away. All four of us." I gestured to my friends beside me.

"Orders are- nobody can see the Great Oz! Not nobody, not no how!" the guard barked.

"Oh but we must!" I pleaded.

"Orders are not nobody, not no how!" he repeated. "He's in conference with himself on account of this trouble with the Witch." The guard motioned to the sky where the Witch had just been. "And even if he wasn't you wouldn't have been able to see him anyway on account of nobody has-not even us in the Palace!"

"Oh but-but please. It's very important," I said. I felt my heart drop as the words came out.

"And-and I got a permanent just for the occasion," Lion pointed to his mane.

"Not nobody! Not no how!" The guard was getting angry with us. "Pardon me. We've gotta change the guards." The guard left and another one came back in his place. "Now what do you want?"

"We want to see the Wizard!" all four of us said together.

"Not nobody! Not no how!" the guard exclaimed.

"That's what the other man said!" Tin Man protested.

"But she's Dorothy!" Scarecrow yelled, pointing at me.

"The Witch's Dorothy?" The guard looked at me in shock. "Well- that makes a difference. Just wait here. I'll announce you at once." The guard turned on his heel and stormed inside.

Scarecrow looked at us with a huge grin on his face. "Did you hear that? He'll announce us at once! I've as good as got my brain!"

"I can fairly hear my heart beating!" Tin Man smiled.

"I'll be home in time for supper!" I smiled at the thought of Auntie Em's cooking.

"In another hour, I'll be King of the Forest! Long live the King!" Lion declared.

"If I were King of the Forest, not Queen, not Duke, not Prince

My regal robes of the forest would be satin, and not cotton, and not chintz

I'd command each thing, be it fish or fowl.

With a woof and a woof and a royal growl

As I'd click my heel

All the trees would kneel

And the mountains bow

And the bulls kowtow!

And the sparrow would take wing

If I….If I…were King!

Each rabbit would show respect to me.

The chipmunks genuflect to me

Though my tail would lash

I would show compash

For every underling

If I…If I…were King. Just King!

Monarch of all I survey.

Mah..ha…ha…ha..ha..ha

Ha…ha…ha…ha-narch! Of all I survey

I kneeled before Lion and looked at him as if her were King at that moment. "Your Majesty, if you were king, you wouldn't be afraid of anything?"

"Not nobody! Not no how!" he declared.

"Not even a rhinoceros?" Tin Man quizzed.

"Imposserous!"

"How about a hippopotamus?" I asked.

"Why, I'd thrash him from top to bottomamus!"

"Supposin' you met an elephant?"

"I'd wrap him up in cellophant!"

"What if it were a brontosaurus?" Scarecrow pondered.

"I'd show him who was King of the Forest!"

"How?" Tin Man, Scarecrow, and I asked.

"How?" Lion looked scandalized. "Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage. What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder! Courage! What make the Hottentot so hot? What puts the ape in apricot? What have they got that I ain't got?" Lion demanded.

"Courage!" The three of us answered in unison.

"You can say that again!" Lion said. He laughed until the guard came back. He looked rather mad as well.

"Go on home! The Wizard says go away!"

"Go away?" we all asked. The words sounded foreign.

"Looks like we came a long way for nothing," Scarecrow sighed. He looked so sad. He looked so excited about getting a brain.

"Oh, and I was so happy," I cried. "I thought I was on my way home!" I sat down on the steps in front of the palace.

"Don't cry, Dorothy!" Tin Man begged. "We're going to get you to the Wizard."

"We certainly are!" Scarecrow agreed. "How? How are we?"

"Would-would it do any good if I roared?" Lion asked shyly.

"Who at?" Scarecrow asked.

"I don't know," Lion admitted.

"Auntie Em was so good to me, and I never appreciated it. Running away and hurting her feelings." I took a deep breath in between sobs. "Professor Marvel said she was sick. She may be dying…and…and it's all my fault! Oh, I'll never forgive myself! Never, never, never!" I sobbed.

I hadn't heard the guard behind us until he spoke. "Oh, oh! Please don't cry any more. I'll get you into the Wizard somehow. Come on. I had an Aunt Em myself once."

At his words, my friends and I jumped up from the steps and followed him into the palace. I was so excited about going home that my heart was ready to burst. The thought of seeing Auntie Em and Uncle Henry again made me so happy. I had a smile on my face as my companions and I entered the palace.


	15. Fear for the loved ones

_**Dimitri**_

I looked at Rose. I had turned away from the video during the last bit. I couldn't watch Dorothy cry over not seeing her aunt while I knew that this was what Rose was experiencing. I watching the tears fall from her closed eyes and heard her whisper, "Never". I just about broke my heart.

Lissa must have understood or seen my distress because the video stopped and her hand went to my shoulder. I turned to her and saw her smile. I gave her a sad one back.

"She's okay. It's just the movie that makes it harder than it really is. She'll be fine." Lissa smiled at me encouragingly.

"You've seen the movie and understand what' going on. This is all new to me and I have no idea what's about to happen," I admitted.

"She's going to be fine. She's in good hands and is safe. There is no danger."

I gave her a look that told her that I didn't believe that. "Lissa, I saw that witch that's after her. She's not safe." The last words were more of a whisper.

"It's okay. She'll be fine. Let's just watch the rest of the movie and see what happens to her," Lissa suggested. I nodded and turned back to the screen that was now playing.

**So, by the lack of reviews that I'm getting on this story, it's not that big of a hit. Buutttt, I'm not giving up! I'm finishing this story and if people dont want to read it, it's their loss. Yeah i know, tough love, but somethings happen. -SagWarrior**


	16. The Wizard's request

_**Oz**_

We walked down a long hall that was green. The ceiling, the floor, the whole place was green. My friends and I walked arm in arm down the hallway. We were half scared out of our wits, but we kept walking. The thought of being home again was all that was holding me in my place.

"Wait a minute, fellahs," Lion stuttered. "I was just thinkin'. I really don't want to see the Wizard this much. I better wait for you outside."

"What's the matter?" Scarecrow asked.

"Oh, he's just ascared again," Tin Man groaned.

"Don't you know that the Wizard's going to give you some courage?" I reminded him gently.

"I'd be too scared to ask him for it." Lion was on the verge of tears.

"Oh, well, then- we'll ask him for you," I said decidedly.

"I'd sooner wait outside," Lion added. As he turned to leave, Scarecrow and Tin Man held onto his arms tighter.

"But why?" I was confused. He was so happy about getting some courage earlier and now he was frightened again.

"Because I'm still scared!"

"Oh, come on."

"Ow!" Everyone looked at Lion like he lost his mind. No one had touched him to make him holler that loud.

"What happened?" Scarecrow looked at Lion to check the damage.

"Somebody pulled my tail!" Lion wailed.

"Oh, you did it yourself!" Scarecrow pointed to the tail in Lion's paws.

"I-oh…"

"Here- Come on." Scarecrow started to drag Lion and we continued to walk.

We kept walking until we came to a huge open room that was green and silver all over. It was beautiful with green velvet curtains hanging around the outside of the room and a huge stage at the front. The only terrifying part was the red and black smoke gushing out of the floor and wall on the stage and the giant face that looked mad!

"Tell me when it's over!" Lion begged as he covered his face in his paws. "Look at that! Look at that! I wanna go home! I wanna go home!"

"I am Oz! The great and powerful!" The giant face spoke. My friends and I shook with fear and stopped in our tracks. "Who are you?"

I stepped up until I was sure my knees where going to fall out from under me like Uncle Henry's did about a year ago when he was fixing the barn. "I – If you please, I – I am Dorothy, the small and meek." I swallowed. "We've come to ask you—"

"Silence!" the Wizard commanded.

I jumped ten feet in the air and raced back to my friends. "Jiminy Crickets!"

"The great and powerful Oz knows why you have come. Step forward…Tin Man." While he walked forward, Tin Man shook so violently that I was certain that he would fall to pieces. "You dare to come to me for a heart, do you? You clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk!"

"Ohhh – yes… yes, sir. Y-yes, your honor. You see, a while back, we were walking down the yellow brick road, and –" Tin Man was cut off by the Wizard.

"Quiet!" At the outburst, Tin Man ran back to us and shook even more than before.

"And you, Scarecrow, and the effrontery to ask for a brain? You billowing bale of bovine fodder!"

Scarecrow scrambled up to the front and fell to his knees. "Y-yes…yes, your honor. I mean, your Excellency – I mean, your Wizardry!"

"Enough!" barked the Wizard. Scarecrow came back to us and the Wizard spoke again.

"And you Lion!"

All of a sudden, Lion fell back onto his back. He fainted from the fear of the Wizard. Scarecrow, Tin Man, and I knelt down to try to wake him up, but nothing seemed to work. I looked up at the Wizard and was so angry with him.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Frightening him like that when he came to you for help!"

"Silence, Whippersnapper!" the Wizard demanded. I backed up a little. "The beneficent Oz has every intention of granting your requests!"

Lion sat bolt upright as the mention of getting his wish granted. "What's that? What's he say?"

"But first," the Wizard started, "you must prove yourselves worthy by performing a very small task. Bring me the broomstick of the Witch of the West!" My friends and I stared in horror and disbelief at the Wizard's request.

"B-b-b-b-b-b-but if we do that, we'll have to kill her to get it!" Tin Man pointed out.

"Bring me her broomstick and I'll grant your requests," the Wizard repeated. "Now go!"

"But—but what if she kills us first?" Lion asked.

"I SAID GO!" The Wizard's voice echoed off the walls and rattled around in my ears. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Lion jumping into the air and racing out of the room. I heard a window shattering moments later. Tin Man, Scarecrow, and I followed him fast.


	17. Worrying Always worrying

_**Dimitri**_

I paused the movie again and looked down at the floor smiling. Rose had finally broken through in that last little bit that I saw. She finally stood up for herself and came at the Wizard guy with the attitude and snark that I was used to. Granted it wasn't exactly like I knew, but the movie wasn't real life.

"If you keep pausing it every thirty minutes then we're going to be here all day," Lissa said a little annoyed.

"Sorry, but there is a lot to take in," I whispered. I still couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that I'm watching what's going on in Rose's head. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw Lissa looking at me.

"She's fine. I've told you that. Nothing bad is going to happen to her. Let's finish the movie and let her wake up when she can."

I nodded and hit the play button again. I wanted Rose to wake up again, but I also wanted her to be safe, and this not knowing what's going to happen was killing me.


	18. The Wicked Witch is Dead!

_**Dorothy**_

We walked through the forest armed with weapons that Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion thought that we would need. I held Toto to my chest and walked in between Tin Man and Scarecrow all the way to the signs at the beginning of the Witch's Forest.

Lion spotted the sign first and read it aloud. "HAUNTED FOREST. WITCHES CASTLE. 1 MILE. I'D TURN BACK IF I WERE YOU!"

Lion shook harder than he had before in the Wizard's palace. Tin Man' knees knocked together and a few pieces of straw fell from Scarecrow's shaking arms. We kept on walking until we heard a noise that made us jump.

"I believe there are spooks around here," Scarecrow shook.

"That's ridiculous!" exclaimed Tin Man. "Spooks- that's silly."

"Don't you believe in spooks?" Lion asked.

"No. Why only- oh!" Tin Man was lifted into the air and fell a few feet away from us. I screamed a little and clutched Toto tighter.

"I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks, I do, I do, I do, I do!" Lion ranted as he held his tail.

I stood around and froze in my place. I was too scared to move. That was, until I felt something bite my arm.

"Oh! Something bit me!" I jumped.

"No come on you're acting silly!" Tin Man chastised.

Instead of talking, I sang. It was odd to me. Music from the forest flowed into the area where me friends and I stood.

"Did you just hear what I just heard?" I was shaking as the music buzzed around us.

"That noise don't come fro no ordinary bird," Lion sang. Tin Man looked crazy.

"It may be just a cricket of a critter in the trees." I was still singing!

"It's giving me the jitters in the joints around me knees!" Tin Man was singing too! What was going on!

"Oh, I think I see a jijik and he's fuzzy and he's furry! I haven't got a brain but I think I ought to worry!" Scarecrow looked around as he sang.

"I haven't got a heart but I got a palpitation."

"As Monarch of the Forest I don't like the situation."

"Are you gonna stand around and let them fill us full of horror?" I had to ask.

"I'd like to roar them down… But I think I lost my roarer!"

I held Toto tighter and started to sing again. Dance moves took over my friends' bodies.

_Who's that hiding_

_In the tree tops?_

_It's that rascal: _

_The Jitter Bug._

_Sould you catch him_

_Buzzin' round you_

_Keep away from_

_The Jitter Bug!_

_Oh the bat, and the bees_

_And the breeze in the trees_

_Have a terrible, horrible buzz._

_But the bats and the bees_

_And the breeze in the trees_

_Couldn't do what the Jitter Bug does._

_So be careful_

_Of that rascal_

_Keep away from_

_The Jitter Bug!_

_In the Twitter_

_In the throes_

_Oh, the critter's _

_Got me dancin' on a thousand toes_

_Thar she blows!_

We danced all throughout forest until we thought our legs were going to stop working. Toto had fallen out of my arms and was prancing around barking at the little bugs that made the mess. It was awful, but nothing compared to the sight of the flying monkeys heading right towards us!

As the monkeys flew closer, we broke out of the Jitter Bug's spell and started to run. I reached down to grab him and hold him close, but something grabbed me first. I looked up to see a monkey holding my shoulders and felt myself being lifted up into the air. I kicked and screamed as we got higher into the air.

The next thing that I knew, I was standing on my feet on concrete flooring. I looked around to see a dark, scary room. There was a table with potion ingredients and bowls on it. A huge crystal ball stood on a stand next to a cauldron. Huge chairs stood around the room and the large windows were covered by blood red curtains.

The Witch stood in the doorway with my basket and Toto in her arms. The only thing that I had was my handkerchief in my hands, which was scrunched in my fist.

"What a nice little dog!" the Witch cooed to Toto. She then turned on me. "And you, my dear. What an unexpected pleasure! It's so kind of you to visit in my loneliness."

"What are you going to do with my dog? Give him back to me!" I was sobbing. I was having flashbacks to when Mrs. Gulch tried to take Toto back on the farm.

"All in good time, my little pretty," the Witch sneered. "All in good time."

"Oh please give me back my dog!" I begged.

"Certainly, certainly. When you give me those slippers." The Witch pointed to the red shoes on my feet. Those silly shoes were causing so much trouble!

"But the Good Witch of the North told me not to," I professed.

"Very well!" the Witch yelled. She turned to the monkey that held the basket that Toto was in. "Throw that basket in the river and drown him!"

I ran forward and almost threw myself on the Witch. "No! No, no! Here," I pointed down to my feet. "you can have your old slippers! But give me back Toto!"

The Witch smiled her evil smile. "That's a good little girl. I knew you'd see reason."

The Witch reached her hands towards my feet and started to move them. Yellow sparks shot out of her fingertips and bounced off the shoes. Nothing happened. Red fire erupted out of her hands and she screamed in pain.

"I'm sorry! I didn't do it! Can I still have my dog?" I apologized. I just hoped that she'd spare Toto from his watery grave.

"No!" the Witch screamed. "Fool that I am! I should have remembered. Those slippers will never come off as long as you're alive."

I cowered away from the woman in front of me. "What are you going to do?" I asked as more tears fell from my eyes.

"What do you think I'm going to do? But that's not what's worrying me. It's how to do it. These things must be done delicately or you hurt the spell." The Witch sounded like she was in deep thought. The look in her eye frightened me more than the thought of dying.

Suddenly, I saw something behind the Witch. Toto poked his head out of the basket lid and jumped out. He ran for the door and made it out just as the monkey figured out that he was gone.

"Run Toto run!" I yelled.

"Catch him, you fool!" The Witch ordered.

"He got away!" I smiled through my tears. "He got away!"

"Oh! Which is more than you will!" the Witch barked. "Drat you and your dog! You've been more trouble to me than you're worth, one way or another. But it'll soon be over now!" The Witch picked up a huge hourglass with red sand in it. She turned it over and set it on the table near the crystal ball. "Do you see that? That's how much longer you've got to be alive! And it isn't long my pretty! It isn't long! I can't wait forever to get those shoes!"

I stared at the hourglass while the Witch slammed and locked the door on her way out. Tears fell down my face in rivers and I felt my head hurt above my eyes a little. I walked forward a ways until I fell next to the crystal ball. My hand went to the arm of a chair for support. I sobbed until I heard words that I sang back on the farm after Auntie Em scolded me for getting in the way.

_Someday, I'll wake and rub my eyes _

_And in that land beyond the skies_

_You'll find me._

I stopped singing and sobbed even harder. The crystal ball lit up in front of me. I pulled myself up to my knees and touched the ball with shaky fingers.

"I'm frightened, I'm frightened. Auntie Em I'm frightened!"

Before my eyes, my aunt's face came through the hazy colors of the crystal.

"Dorothy! Dorothy where are you? It's me, it's Auntie Em! We're trying to find you! Where are you?" Auntie Em's voice came loud and clear. It was as if she was standing right in front of me but couldn't see me.

"I-I'm here in Oz, Auntie Em! I'm locked up in the Witch's castle and I'm trying to get home to you, Auntie Em! Oh, Auntie Em, don't go away!" My dear aunt's face started to fade away and my heart pounded in my chest. "I'm frightened! Come back! Come back!"

"Auntie Em! Auntie Em come back!" Auntie Em's face was replaced by the Witch's cruel face. I fell onto my butt and I hid behind the chair that was I was leaning on ealier. "I'll give you Auntie Em, my pretty!" The crystal went dark and I sobbed harder than ever before, praying that my friends would rescue me.

I cried on the floor for what felt like an eternity. I didn't know how much time had passed, but I did know that the sand in the hourglass was moving to the bottom much faster than I would have liked. I was feeling hopeless and lost. That it, until I heard a familiar voice call out to me.

"Dorothy, are you in there?"

"It's us!"

I jumped up and ran to the door as I heard Scarecrow and Lion's voices on the other side. "Yes, it's me! She's locked me in! Oh, I knew you'd get here in time!" Tears of relief and joy at my friend's arrival flowed out of my blue eyes. "Oh, hurry! Please hurry! The hourglass is almost empty!"

"Stand back!" I heard Tin Man command.

I did what I was told and a few seconds later, silver metal came crashing through the thick wood of the door. Few more chops and the door fell open. Toto leapt into my arms and I cuddled him to my body as everyone else looked over my body for injuries.

"Did they hurtcha?" Lion asked.

"Lion, darling! I knew you'd come!" I smiled.

"Dorothy!" Tin Man shouted.

"I knew you would!" I said again. I was so relieved to be free.

"Hurry! We've got no time to lose!" Scarecrow shouted.

We followed him down a flight of stairs and into a big clearing before guards crowded around us. It was like they were waiting on us to try to escape. The Witch came out of no where with the hourglass in her hand.

"Going so soon? I wouldn't hear of it! Why my little party's just beginning!" she cackled.

"Trapped! Trapped like mice! Like Rats!" Lion stuttered in fear as the guards closed in on us. All four of us huddled together against the stone wall.

"Go ahead, do something! Roar!" Tin Man suggested.

"What good'll it do us?" Lion demanded to know.

The winkies moved closer and the Witch laughed. "That's right. Don't hurt them right away. We'll let them think about it a little first."

The Witch threw the hourglass at us and red smoke blew up into our faces. Lion mumbled something that sounded like a prayer as Scarecrow grabbed Tin Man's axe and chopped the rope holding up the chandelier. The iron candleholder crashed down on top of the winkies and we ran for it. The Witch ordered her guards to follow us as we raced down the hall.

We fled through corridors and rooms. The winkies behind us scared me even more than the Witch did when it came to finding us. She had a broom, they had spears. Several times we ran into dead ends or the ends of spears and we had to run back the way we came. We had just ran into a room when we were cornered at all sides by the guards and the Witch. The game of chase had finally stopped.

"Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of spears! Thought you'd be pretty foxy, didn't you? Well, I'm going to start in on you right here-one after the other!" she informed us. "And the last to go will see the first three go before her! And your many little dog, too!" She looked dead at me with a cruel look in her eyes.

The Witch reached her broom bristles up to a flaming torch on the wall and caught it on fire. She looked at Scarecrow who was standing next to me and smiled. "How about a little fire, Scarecrow?"

The flaming broom touched his arm and he lit up instantly.

"Help! I'm burning! I'm Burning!" he cried.

I looked around and found a bucket of water. I picked it up and threw it on Scarecrow's arm and water went everywhere. I didn't notice that the Witch got wet until I heard her agonizing screams.

"Ohh! You cursed brat! Look what you've done! I'm melting! Melting! Oh what a world, what a world! Who would have thought a good little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness! Ohhhhhhhhh!" The Witch melted into a piled on nothing. Her black dress, cloak, and hat were all that remained of the Wicked Witch of the West.

**Trivia: in the original script, the Jitter Bug was in the movie. The director had to cut it out bc of time limits. Just thought that you'd like that little fun fact. How did i do this chapter? yay or nay? -SagWarrior**


	19. The man behind the curtain

My friends and I looked down at the Witch's remains in horror. The bucket fell out of my shaking hands and landed on the stone floor with a loud clatter. The head Winkie looked at me in awe as the thought of his mistress was dead.

"She's…she's dead!" He pointed at me. "You've killed her!"

I-I didn't mean to kill her, really I didn't!" I explained in a hurried voice. "It's just that he was on fire!" I pointed to Scarecrow who was no longer smoking.

"Hail to Dorothy! The Wicked Witch is Dead!" The leader shouted! The Winkies repeated what their leader said and knelt down on the ground. I felt m eyes widen.

"The broom! May we have it?" I asked excited now.

The leaders handed it to me. " Please! And take it with you!"

"Oh! Thank you so much! Now we can go back to the Wizard and tell him the Wicked Witch is dead!" I said practically bouncing with happiness.

My friends and I walked into the Wizard's throne room beaming. The Wizard's giant face looked down at us.

"Can I believe my eyes? Why have you come back?" The Wizard sounded surprised and angry at the same time.

"Please sir." I walked forward with the Witch's broom in my hands. "We've done what you told us. We've brought you the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West. We melted her."

"Oh, you liquidated her, eh? Very resourceful." The Wizard sounded like he was bored and it was getting frustrating.

"Yes, sir. So we'd like you to keep your promise to us, if you please, sir." I pressed. I wanted to get home so bad.

"Not so fast! Not so fast!" I'll have to give the matter a little thought. Go away and come back tomorrow!" The Wizard commanded.

"Tomorrow?" I explaimed. "Oh, but I want to go home now!"

"You've had plenty of time already!" Tin Man pointed out.

"Yeah!" Lion agreed.

"Do not arouse the wrath of the Great and Powerful Oz! I said come back to tomorrow!"

I stood there flabbergasted. Was he really sending us away? My friends were getting just as mad.

"If you were really great and powerful, you'd keep your promises!" I yelled.

"Do you presume to criticize the Great Oz? You ungrateful creatures!" The Wizard thundered. "Think yourselves lucky that I'm giving you audience tomorrow, instead of twenty years from now."

While the Wizard spoke, I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye. Toto was tugging on a rope that was in his mouth. When he pulled on it, a curtain moved to reveal a man with white hair and a black suit standing in front of a panel of controls and talking into a microphone.

I poked Scarecrow and pointed out what Toto had found. He got Tin Man and Lion's attention who both followed my line of view. We all walked towards the man and when he caught sight of us, he stood there in surprise.

"Pay no attention to the that man behind the curtain. Go-before I lose my temper! The Great and Powerful Oz…has spoken!" The man, the Wizard I supposed, looked at us with a look of regret and sadness.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Well, I-I-I am the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz," he answered looking worn.

"You are?" I asked in disbelief.

"Uhhhh, yes…"

"I don't believe you!" I said rather harshly.

"No, I'm afraid it's true. There is no other Wizard except me."

"You humbug!" Scarecrow shouted.

"Yeah!" Lion agreed angry.

"Yes-s-s that…that's exactly so. I'm a humbug." The Wizard stared at his black shoes.

"Oh, you're a very bad man!" I stated flatly. I wasn't happy.

"Oh no, my dear! I'm-I'm a very good man. I'm just a very bad Wizard."

"You'd better be good enough to send Dorothy back to Kansas!" Scarecrow threatened.

The Wizard looked sad and upset at Scarecrow's threat. "Uh- now, please don't be angry with me. I'll-I'll do anything you say, only…only if you don't shout at me. It makes me nervous!"

"It makes you nervous?" Scarecrow asked. He looked like he never heard of the word.

"Yes," the Wizard admitted.

"What about us?" Scarecrow demanded. He must have gotten over the shock of someone, especially a phony Wizard, being nervous by shouting. "What about the heart that you promised Tin Man, and the Courage that you promised Cowardly Lion?"

"And Scarecrow's brain?" Tin Man added.

"Well, I-" the Wizard looked at all of my friends. "You've got them. You've had the all the time!"

"Oh, no we haven't!" The boys all said together.

"Oh yes! Why, anybody can have a brain. That's a very mediocre commodity. Every pusillanimous creature that crawls the earth- or slinks through the slimy seas has a brain!" the Wizard declared. "From the rock-bound coast of Maine to the Sun…. oh, oh- no. Well, be that as it may, Back where I come from we have universities, seats of great learning where men go to become great thinkers. And when they come out, they think deep thoughts, and with no more brains than you have… But! They have one thing you haven't got! A diploma!"

The Wizard turned around and pulled a black, velvet bag out of the box with all the buttons that he stood behind earlier. He reached in and out a rolled up piece of paper with a red ribbon around it.

"Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Universitatus Committeeatum e plurbis unum, I hereby confer upon you the honorary degree of Th.D." The Wizard handed the paper to Scarecrow who grabbed it gently.

"Th.D?" he asked.

"Yeah! That's D. of Thinkology!"

"The sum of the square roots of any two sides of an isosceles triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side." Scarecrow looked at us with joy. "Oh joy, rapture! I've got a brain! How can I every thank you enough?"

"Well, you can't," the Wizard said simply. He then turned to Lion and smiled. "As for you, my fine friend- you're a victim of disorganized thinking. You are under the unfortunate delusion that simply because you run away from danger, you have no courage. You're confusing courage for wisdom. Back where I come from, we have men who are called heroes. Once a year, they take their fortitude out of mothballs and parade it down the main street of the city. And they have no more courage than you have. But! They have one thing that you haven't got! A medal!"

The Wizard reached into the black bag and pulled out a shiny gold medal and pinned it to Lions fur.

"Therefore- for meritorious conduct, extraordinary valor, conspicuous bravery against wicked witches, award you the Triple Cross. You are now a member of the Legion of Courage."

"Oh-oh!" Lion pointed to his chest all in excitement. "Shucks, folks, I'm speechless!"

The Wizard then turned to the Tim Man. "As for you, my galvanized friend, you want a heart! You don't know how lucky you are not to have one. Heart will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable. I could have been a world figure, a power among me, a successful wizard, had I not been obstructed by a heart."

"But I still want one," Tin Man said sheepishly.

"Yes! Back where I am come from there are men who do nothing all day but good deeds. They are called good-deed-doers. And their hearts are no bigger than yours. But! They have one thing you haven't got! A testimonial!" The Wizard reached into his black bag once again and pulled out a watch that was in the shape of a red heart.

"Therefore, in consideration of your kindness, I take pleasure at this time in presenting you with a small token of our esteem and affection. And remember, my sentimental friend that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others."

Tin Man pulled his watch up to his ear and his face lit up. "Ahh! Oh, it ticks!" He held it out to me. "Listen!"

"Yes!" I said after hearing the ticking for a moment.

"Read!" Lion said pointing to his medal. "Read what my medal says: Courage! Ain't it the truth! Ain't it the truth!"

"Oh! They are all wonderful!" I smiled at my friends. They were so happy.

"Hey!" Scarecrow shouted about everyone's talking. "What about Dorothy?"

"Yes, how about Dorothy?" Tin Man added.

"Oh, I don't think there's anything in that black bag for me," I said sadly. What I wanted couldn't fit in any bag.

"Well on the contrary," the Wizard started. "Well, you force me into a cataclysmic decision. The only way to get Dorothy back to Kansas is for me to take her there myself!"

I felt my eyes get huge and my smile turn into a grin. "Oh, will you? Could you? But are you a clever enough Wizard to manage?"

"Child! You cut me to the quick! I'm an old Kansas man myself. Born and bred in the heart of western wilderness. Premier balloonist par excellence to the Miracle Wonderland Carnival Company. Until on day, while performing spectacular feats of stratospheric skill never before attempted by civilized man, an unfortunate phenomena occurred. The balloon failed to return to the fair." The Wizard was very theatrical in his story. Something in the back of my mind told me that I had heard this story told once by Uncle Henry, but he was chastising the man for being foolish enough to ride a balloon.

"It did?" Lion asked.

"Yes! There I was, floating through space- a man without a continent!"

"Weren't you frightened?" I asked.

"Frightened? You are talking to a man who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom and chuckled at catastrophe. I was petrified! Then suddenly, the wind changed and the balloon floated down into the heart of this noble city, where I was instantly acclaimed Oz, the First Wizard de Luxe!

Times being what they were, I accepted the job, retaining my balloon against the advent of a quick get-away. And in that balloon my dear, you and I will return to the land of E Pluribus Unum!"


	20. There Is No Place Like Home

He was right. About an hour later, The Wizard, Toto, and I were standing in the basket of a hot air balloon with Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion standing around us on a platform. The entire city of Emerald City was out to send us off, and boy I was excited.

The Wizard was now giving his send off speech to his people who all stared at him and hung on every word.

"Good people of Oz, this is positively the finest exhibition ever to be shown. I, your Wizard par ardua ad alta, am about to embark upon a hazardous and technically unexplainable journey into the outer stratosphere.

To confer, converse, and otherwise hob-nob with my brother Wizards. And I hereby decree that until what time-if any- that I return, the Scarecrow, by virtue of his highly superior brains, shall rule in my stead, assisted by the Tin Man, by virtue of his magnificent heart, and the Lion- by virtue of his courage! Obey them as you would me! And…that's all.! Thank you!"

A man off the side of the platform untied the ropes holding the balloon to the ground. We had only gotten an inch off the ground when Toto, seeing a cat, jumped out of my arms.

"Oh! Come back here, Toto!" I called. "Come back!" I turned to the Wizard, "Oh, don't go without me! I'll be right back!"

I jumped out of the basket and raced to grab Toto. I had snatched him up and ran back to the balloon, but it was already too high for me to reach. "Oh! Come back! Don't go without me! Please come back!" I cried.

"I can't come back! I don't know how it works!" The Wizard yelled down to me before exiting the grounds and floating up to the sky.

I stared at the spot where the balloon faded out of sight and felt the tears gather in my eyes. I was so close to going home to Auntie Em. So close.

"Oh, no I'll never get home!"

Lion put a paw around my shoulder. "Stay with us, then, Dorothy. We all love you. We don't want you to go."

I gave him a weak smile and patted his hand. "Oh, that's very kind of you, but this could never be like Kansas. Auntie Em must have stopped wondering what happened to me by now." I turned to my first friend here in Oz. "Oh, Scarecrow, what am I going to do?"

Scarecrow looked down at me with sad eyes until he turned suddenly to something in the air. "Look! Here's someone who can help you!"

I looked up to see a familiar pink bubble floating towards us. Everyone moved out of it's way as it landed near the platform and Glinda appeared. She smiled sweetly as everyone as she walked over to me.

"Oh, will you help me? Can you help me?" I asked desperately.

"You don't need to be helped any longer," the Good Witch laughed. "You've always had the power to go back to Kansas."

"I have?" I was confused. If I had the power to go home all along, I would have been back home a long time ago.

"Then why didn't you tell her before?" Scarecrow asked.

"Because she wouldn't have believed me. She had to learn it for herself," Glinda smiled.

"What have you learned, Dorothy?" Tin Man asked me gently, but I heard the curiosity in his words.

"Well, I-I think that it-that it wasn't enough just to want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em- and it's that- if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right?" I looked at Glinda for a confirmation to my answer.

"That's all it is!" she announced.

"But that's so easy!" Scarecrow pointed out. "I should have thought of it for you."

"I should have felt it in my heart," Tin Man said pointing to his watch.

"No," Glinda said." She had to find it out for herself. Now, those magic slippers will take you home in two seconds!"

"Oh! Toto too?"

"Toto too."

"Oh, now?"

"Whenever you wish."

"Oh, dear- that's too wonderful to be true! Oh, it's going to be so hard to say goodbye." I turned to my friends. "I love you all, too. Goodbye, Tin Man." I hugged him and he started to cry. "Oh, don't cry. You'll rust so dreadfully. Here-here's your oil-can. Goodbye." I placed his can in his open hand.

"Now I know I've got a heart-cause it's breaking," Tin Man cried softly.

I turned to Lion. "Oh, goodbye, Lion. You know, I know it isn't right, but I'm going to miss the way you used to holler for help before you found your courage." I attempted at a joke.

"Well- I would have never've found it if it hadn't been for you," he said quietly.

I turned to Scarecrow and started to cry. Hard.

"I think I'll miss you most of all." I gave him a big hug and squeezed his soft body before letting go and turning to Glinda.

"Are you ready now?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm ready now."

Glinda moved behind me and told me what to do. "Then close your eyes, and tap your heels together three times. And think to yourself- 'There is no place like home; there is no place like home; there is no place like home.'"

I started to tap my heels together three times and repeated what the Good Witch told me to. "There is no place like home; there is no place like home; there is no place like home."

As I spoke, I felt myself relax at the thought of finally going home to the people that I loved. I was so excited that I could hardly wait.

**So i forgot to mention that the characters (Wizard and Lion) like to make up words. I wrote their lines straight from the movie script so i can't take credit for coming up with their dialog. Sorry if their speech sounds odd to you. I hope you like what i got so far! Almost done with this one! -SagWarrior**


	21. Back in My Arms

Dimitri

I looked from the TV screen to Lissa who was crying silently beside me.

"She's coming back," I whispered. I snapped my eyes over to Rose's sleeping figure. She was mumbling and something told me that she was saying that there was no place like home.

I went over to her bedside and stared at her face. It was calm, peaceful, and perfect. Her full lips moved as they spoke, and at one point, I thought I saw her feet move. Almost as if they were clicking their heels together.

Lissa moved to her other side and noticed Rose's eyelids fluttering. She jumped up and ran out of the room. A few minutes later, she came running back with Christian and Adrian tailing her. They both stared at Rose as she moved a little.

"Lissa," Christian said. "Nothing's happening. You brought us in on a false alarm."

"No she didn't," Adrian stated. His eyes were far away and I knew that he was dream walking. "She's coming around. Everything is brown and white in her head. I wonder what she was dreaming about."

Lissa gave me a knowing look and shook her head. She didn't want Adrian to know that I knew what Rose had been up to for the past two hours. Adrian was already jealous of me, this would push him over the edge.

I turned my attention back down to Rose just in time for her to open her eyes. She moved her head to see Lissa first and then turned her face to me. Her brown eyes got huge when she realized that I was standing next to her.

"Well hello," she said in a surprised tone. "Since when have you been here?"

I looked down at her sheets before looking back at her. "All day. I got in right after the storm hit."

"The storm?" Rose looked at me like I was crazy. After a few seconds, she remembered. "Oh! The storm that I got attacked by a tree branch in. Okay I gotcha."

Rose reached behind her and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She looked around to see everyone look at her. She crossed her legs out in front of her and put her arms behind her head. "How's life, fellas?"

"Rose," Lissa sighed. "You've been unconscious for almost twenty-four hours and the first thing that comes out of your mouth is, 'how's life'? You're insane."

"Maybe that branch hit you harder than we thought," Christian added. I didn't like the idea of the tree limb hitting her in the head to begin with, the thought of it causing worse damage than originally thought was painful.

"I'm fine guys, chill out. I have a small headache and I had one crazy ass dream, but other than that I am fine," Rose promised.

"That's fantastic!" Lissa jumped onto the bed and hugged Rose until she yelled at her to get off.

"Liss! If you don't let go than I'm going to be in here longer than needed."

"Sorry," Lissa blushed.

"Okay," Christian started. "Let's leave Rose and Dimitri alone. I think that they need to have some alone time and I'm afraid that Lissa might try to tackle Rose again."

He nodded at me in encouragement before ushering out Lissa and Adrian. Once the door was shut behind them, everything was silent. Rose was sitting on the bed in a comfortable position and I stood awkwardly beside her.

"So…" Rose started. "Christian said something about us talking."

"So he did," I agreed.

I sat down in a plastic chair that was across from the foot of Rose's bed. I folded my hands together and leaned my elbows on my knees. I watched Rose sit up a bit and cross her legs under her.

"Why are you back?" She asked me.

I looked up into her brown eyes and saw that she was keeping herself guarded. She was keeping her emotions locked up behind barriers that weren't there before I left.

"Tasha wanted to see Christian and Lissa. Just a visit," I answered simply. I kept my eyes on Rose's face.

"Oh okay." Rose stopped and looked at the bed sheets in her lap. "How long you staying?" She asked.

"I don't know. I…" I stopped myself from telling her that I wanted to stay for the rest of the school year with her. I don't care if I get into trouble for being with her, as long as I got to be there with her.

"You what?" She asked. It wasn't a mean or condescending tone of voice like I expected. It was gentle and sweet.

"Nothing. It's not important. What is though, is that you are awake and fine," I said easily. I knew that she could see through my act, but she wasn't going to push me. Not yet at least.

"Yep. Never felt better." Rose leaned against her pillows and drew her knees up to her chest.

"That's good," I nodded.

Silence fell between us again and for a while, I thought it would never leave.

"You know," Rose said looking down at her hands, "things haven't been the same since you left."

"How? You don't wake up at the crack of dawn anymore to train. How else could things be different," I scuffed.

"I miss you." That was all she said, but those three words held all the meaning and explanation to us. I looked at her face and noticed that a tear had left a trail running down her cheek.

I got up from my chair and sat on the edge of her bed. I took my thumb and wiped away the tear. Rose looked up at me and we stared at each other. A look of bewilderment and disbelief was in her eyes. She couldn't believe that I was this close to her after being away for so long.

"I've missed you, too," I whispered. I then leaned down to kiss her and everything felt right in the world.

**So i'm not sure if i want to do an epilogue on this story or just leave it. This kiss at the end pretty much wraps it up haha. But yeah i think this is the end. I hope you liked it for those of you faithful followers of Rose and Dorothy. **

**Lots of love, SagWarrior**


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